Netflix has unveiled plans to bolster its Chinese-language content slate, anchored by the streamer’s hub and partnerships in Taiwan.
The streamer’s head of Chinese Language Content, Maya Huang, detailed her team’s originals strategy in Taiwan and also unveiled the English-language teaser and release date for upcoming series Born for the Spotlight.
The 12-episode series will be the first time that Taiwanese actresses Hsieh Ying-xuan and Cheryl Yang star alongside each other.
Born for the Spotlight will have its world premiere in the On-Screen section at the upcoming Busan International Film Festival, before releasing on Netflix on November 7.
Written and directed by Yen Yi-wen (The Making of an Ordinary Woman) and produced by Olive Ting (Oh No! Here Comes Trouble), the series is set in the cut-throat world of showbiz, where Hsieh and Yang portray Hsueh Ya-chi and Chou Fan respectively. They start out as inseparable best friends but soon become estranged and bitter rivals. Chou Fan is a free-spirited leading actress, while Hsueh transitions from acting to working behind-the-scenes as a producer and manager.
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Highlighting other upcoming Netflix titles on the Chinese-language slate like The Resurrected and Forget You Not, Huang said that the streamer is prioritizing its local Taiwanese audience.
“What we are looking for is really to have stories that will first and foremost resonate with our local audience, which is in Taiwan,” Huang said. “When we talk about Chinese language content, we are not talking about a diaspora all over the world — we are more focused on Taiwan and then the APAC regional audience. Because it’s not just the language that we share, there’s also the cultural part, the history that we share.”
She also pointed out the importance of local productions and partnerships in the streamer’s content strategy, citing the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity initiative, held in collaboration with the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), as an example. The streamer launched in Taiwan in 2016.
Huang said: “The production ecosystem here in Taiwan has its own strengths and challenges. What we are doing right now is really making long term investments in talent, both above the line and below the line. Each time we make an original show, we are working with local talent to really bring up the quality of the storytelling, the quality of the production, and also the best practice when it comes to safety and respect on set.”
She also cited Netflix series Copycat Killer as a leading example of what her team aims to achieve. Adapted from a Japanese novel, Huang detailed how Taiwanese creators were able to translate it into a “relatable” story for the local audience that also accumulated significant viewership outside Chinese-speaking regions.
“Creators, producers, writers, and directors in Taiwan have a good understanding of genres and a very strong sense for universal topics that are not only relevant to our local audience, but also appeal to global audiences,” Huang added. “We are trying to push the boundaries by bringing in more resources, investing in local stories more, and also helping creators dare to tell bolder stories, to make genres that have not been seen in Taiwan before.”
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