AGP Executive Report

Asian Film: Taiwan’s Producers Association joined peers from Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong to launch the Asian Producers Alliance at Busan, aiming to grow co-productions and protect creators’ rights. Taiwan’s only Busan competition entry, Lee Yun Chan’s family drama To Be Ordinary, marks her return to feature films after two decades. Art: Art Taipei returns Oct. 30–Nov. 2 with 127 galleries under the theme “Symbiosis,” alongside a citywide Taipei Art Week featuring more than 80 cultural spaces. Live Music: Filipino percussion group Drum Up will bring its blend of Mindanao rhythms, rock and spoken word to the Miaoli Lubuw International Indigenous Music Festival on Oct. 17–18. Taiwan Pop: BigBang performed at Taipei’s National Stadium, with Jay Chou sharing photos with the group. Industry Pressure: Reports of Chinese pressure on Taiwanese entertainers and media figures, including threats against a Taiwanese TV host, keep concerns about political interference in the arts in focus.

Art Taipei: The fair returns Oct. 30–Nov. 2 with 127 galleries and a “Symbiosis” theme exploring how people and technology shape one another. Busan Cinema: Lee Yun Chan’s To Be Ordinary, the only Taiwanese film in Busan’s competition, marks her return to feature films after two decades. Taiwan’s Producers Association also joined a new alliance of independent Asian producers aimed at boosting co-productions and protecting creators’ rights. Live Music: Filipino percussion group Drum Up is set to perform at Miaoli’s Lubuw International Indigenous Music Festival on Oct. 17–18. BigBang also played Taipei, with Jay Chou sharing photos with the group. Industry Pressure: Reports this week raised concerns about political pressure on Taiwanese entertainers and media figures working in China.

Festival Stage: Filipino percussion ensemble Drum Up has been invited to the Miaoli Lubuw International Indigenous Music Festival on Oct. 17–18, bringing its blend of Mindanao rhythms, rock and spoken word to Taiwan. Live Music: BigBang returned to Taipei after 11 years, drawing 40,000 fans to Taipei Dome on Oct. 10; Jay Chou celebrated the reunion with photos alongside the group. Charlie Puth is also set to bring his “Whatever’s Clever!” tour to Taipei after its Manila stop. Taiwan Film: Director Lu Po-shun’s “Will You Still Be My Friend,” a story of adolescent friendship amid Taiwan’s green-energy shift, is on the Busan festival circuit. Cultural Pressure: Taiwan is backing a distributor facing alleged Chinese pressure over a documentary titled “State Organs,” highlighting the political challenges confronting Taiwanese cultural work.

Live Music: BigBang returned to Taiwan after 11 years, drawing 40,000 fans to Taipei Dome. Jay Chou shared backstage photos with G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung, while the group greeted fans in Mandarin and Taiwanese. Taiwanese Talent Abroad: Ukulele star Feng E, who rose to fame as a child performer, is set to play an Oct. 20 concert in New York as part of a series spotlighting community-curated music. Film: Taiwanese director Lu Po-shun’s Will You Still Be My Friend is making the festival rounds after San Sebastian and Busan, exploring adolescent friendship amid Taiwan’s energy transition. Arts & Culture: Hualien artist Adike has turned driftwood gathered after typhoons into carved household objects, tracing a creative path back to his Indigenous roots. Industry Pressure: Recent coverage warns that Taiwanese entertainers and media figures face growing political pressure in China, raising concerns about the space for Taiwan’s cultural presence.

Live Music: BigBang returned to Taiwan after 11 years, drawing 40,000 fans to Taipei Dome. Jay Chou shared photos with G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung, while the group greeted fans in Mandarin and Taiwanese. Taiwan on Screen: Taiwan’s PTS picked up episodes of The Snoopy Show and Camp Snoopy in new international broadcast deals. Taiwanese cinema will also get a dedicated spotlight at Lyon’s International Classic Film Market, alongside a growing push to restore and re-release heritage films. Local Arts: Hualien artist Adike has turned driftwood gathered after typhoons into carved utensils, finding a creative path back to his Indigenous roots after years as an auto mechanic. Film Industry: Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market is bringing AI and new production technologies into focus, while its documentary program will release a study covering Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

On the World Stage: Taiwanese skater Chen Yi-fan won men’s artistic skating gold at the World Skate Games, taking first place in both programs. Taiwanese Music: Filipino artists ena mori and SHNTI earned nominations at Taiwan’s Golden Indie Music Awards, which received a record 105 entries from artists outside Taiwan. Film Heritage: Taiwan is in the spotlight at the Lumière Festival’s classic-film market, as restored heritage films attract growing international interest. Star Power: Tzuyu is voicing a 2027 theme song for a collaboration between the Williams F1 team and anime series Dan Da Dan. Creative Freedom: Taiwan officials warn that Beijing is pressuring entertainers and media figures with China business ties; meanwhile, Taiwan Travelogue translator Lin King has called attention to how politics shapes which books reach readers.

Entertainment Under Pressure: Beijing-linked military media warned TV host Kevin Tsai after he attended a Taipei campaign event, as officials say pressure is widening to Taiwanese entertainers and media figures with business ties in China. Taiwan Music: Filipino acts ena mori and SHNTI earned Best Asian Creative Artist nominations at Taiwan’s 17th Golden Indie Music Awards. Sunset Rollercoaster also received three major nods, in a record field of 105 entries from outside Taiwan. Film: Taiwanese director Rob Jabbaz, whose horror film The Sadness drew inspiration from the Crossed comics, is directing a movie adaptation of the notorious series. Arts & Books: The Asian Art Biennial announced more than 30 artists for its Nov. 7 opening at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Translator Lin King is also taking legal action over an unauthorized translation of Taiwan Travelogue based on her English version.

Visual Arts: Taiwan’s 10th Asian Art Biennial unveiled more than 30 participating artists for Mrahul Tminun · Co-Weaving, opening Nov. 7 at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. The show spotlights women, Indigenous and queer perspectives. Books & Ideas: The Taiwan Writers Festival runs Nov. 6–22, bringing international authors and translators together with local voices to discuss technology, the environment and social change. Film: Taiwanese director Lu Po-shun’s Will You Still Be My Friend explores adolescent friendship amid Taiwan’s green-energy transition, with the film featured at Busan. Music: BigBang’s 20th-anniversary tour includes Taipei, while former member T.O.P is set to meet fans in Kaohsiung on Dec. 19. Entertainment Industry: A Chinese writer alleges Taiwanese performers working in China face pressure to sign political-loyalty pledges; the claim has not been independently verified.

K-pop: Stray Kids will bring its Nov. 7 Tokyo Dome concert to cinemas worldwide. The group’s tour is also set to visit Taipei in December or January. Industry Pressure: Writer Li Chengpeng alleges Taiwanese entertainers working in China face pressure to sign confidential political-loyalty pledges, a claim that has not been independently verified. Taiwan has also pledged support for film distributor Kuan Chien-chung, who says he faced threats after bringing the documentary State Organs to Taiwan. Taiwanese Film: Lu Po-shun’s Will You Still Be My Friend, a Taiwan-Singapore coming-of-age film, is screening at Busan and has earned two Golden Horse nominations. This year’s Busan festival has gained A-list status and an Oscars pathway for its top award.

Taiwan Cinema: Lu Po-shun’s debut, Will You Still Be My Friend, is screening at Busan after its San Sebastián premiere. The coming-of-age film, about two boys whose friendship is tested by a local dispute over solar farms, has two Golden Horse nominations. Live Arts: Cloud Gate Dance Theatre brings Sounding Light to Singapore’s da:ns focus weekend, alongside performances mixing rope art, dance and music. K-pop in Taiwan: TWS will wrap its Asia tour in Kaohsiung on Oct. 24 and release its second single, “To Us,” on Nov. 2. Badminton: Taiwan’s Su Li Yang and doubles pairs Lee Fang Chih-Lee Fang Jen and Lai Po Yu-Tsai Fu Cheng advanced at the Arctic Open, setting up matches against Malaysian players.

Taiwan-Global Arts & Culture: Taiwan’s Asian Art Biennial has unveiled its full artist lineup for the 10th edition at NTMoFA (Nov 7–Feb 28), curated by Lu Pei-Yi under the weaving-themed title “Mrahul Tminun · 共織 · Co-Weaving.” Music & Pop Culture: K-pop group TWS will release its second single “To Us” on Nov. 2, with the band currently touring Asia and ending in Kaohsiung on Oct. 24. Entertainment & Lifestyle: BABYMONSTER teased a major new activity for Oct. 23 (1pm KST) with a minimalist “crescent moon over calm waters” image. Sports & Spotlight: Taiwan’s Sun Yingsha advanced to the women’s second round at the WTT China Smash after a 3-1 win over Chinese Taipei’s Yeh Yi-Tian. Local Culture Touchpoint: Taichung is rolling out paperless smart parking with large QR codes near major art venues like the National Taichung Theater and National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Cross-Strait Soft Power: Taiwan opened a new TECO office in Phoenix on Oct. 5, serving Arizona and New Mexico and supporting cultural and business exchanges.

Asian Film Spotlight: Busan International Film Festival kicks off Oct. 6 with its first “A-list” FIAPF accreditation and Oscars pathway for the Busan Award winner, featuring 247 selections from 59 countries and a competition jury led by Zhang Yimou, with Taiwan among the competing filmmakers. Taiwan Sports Pride: President Lai Ching-te praised Taiwan’s athletes after the 2026 Asian Games, noting the medal haul (55 total, including five golds) and highlighting standout wins like Fu Chao-hsuan’s track-and-field gold and Wang Kuan-hung’s swimming victory. Taiwan Arts Calendar: The 10th Asian Art Biennial at NTMoFA (Nov. 7–Feb. 28) has unveiled its participating artists list under curator Lu Pei-Yi, with “Co-Weaving” as the theme. Pop Culture & Music: YG Entertainment says BabyMonster will release new music on Oct. 23, with Taipei dates set for Nov. 21–22. Entertainment Business: WildBrain’s Peanuts shows expand across Asia—PTS in Taiwan has licensed The Snoopy Show (S1–3) and Camp Snoopy (S1). Tech & Audio: Jazz Hipster’s new 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution wireless audio platform targets active speaker makers, built on Wi‑Fi 6.

Busan Film Festival: The 31st Busan International Film Festival kicks off Oct. 6–15 with 247 selections from 59 countries, including 95 world premieres, and it’s now an “A-list” FIAPF event plus an Oscars pathway for the Busan Award winner—Taiwan’s Lee Yun Chan is among the directors in the competition. Taiwan Sports Spotlight: President Lai Ching-te met Taiwan’s Asian Games delegation, praising athletes’ effort even after a low gold haul (five) and 15th-place finish; he highlighted standout wins like Fu Chao-hsuan’s track gold and Wang Kuan-hung’s swimming breakthrough. K-Culture & Pop Music: YG Entertainment says BabyMonster will release new music on Oct. 23, with Taipei dates set for Nov. 21–22. Local Culture Abroad: Anseong’s Baudeogi Festival drew about 607,500 visitors over four days, boosting regional sales and bringing international troupes. Taipei Entertainment Buzz: TV host Kevin Tsai faced backlash in China after attending Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen’s campaign opening, triggering brand and magazine content removals. Art & Auctions: Sotheby’s will auction long-hidden Impressionist masterpieces from the Blaquier-Arrieta collection in New York on Nov. 18, estimated around $450M.

Taipei Pride Backlash: Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an defended the city’s inclusivity after a police raid on a gay bar in Ximen sparked protests, with footage alleging improper conduct toward a customer in a wheelchair and police later taking disciplinary action. Cross-Strait Entertainment Politics: A new discussion piece highlights how Taiwan celebrities can face backlash in China during election season, including social media takedowns and lost sponsorships tied to appearances at local political events. Transnational Repression Case: The FBI arrested a woman accused of spying for China on President Lai Ching-te’s son in the U.S., alleging surveillance and reporting to handlers before she attempted to depart for China. Manga Retail Deal: MediaOCD announced a deal to sell physical editions of manga from Manga Mavericks Books and Mahjong Pros via its online store, expanding global distribution for indie titles. Beauty Tech in Taipei’s Orbit: Perfect Corp. hosted its 8th Global Beauty & Fashion Tech Forum in New York, focusing on how AI is moving from experiments to real-world retail and personalization impact. Arts & Culture Spotlight: Taiwan’s electronic music scene gets a platform in Spain as three Taiwanese female artists perform at “She Makes Noise x Taiwan.” Sports & Spotlight: Taiwan’s WTT China Smash saw Sun Yingsha advance after an Asian Games adjustment period, while the week also kept attention on Taiwan athletes and Asian Games fallout.

Taiwan in Spain’s electronic scene: TECO Madrid helped curate “She Makes Noise x Taiwan,” featuring Taiwanese artists Sabiwa, Scintii and Sonia Calico at the women-and-non-binary-focused festival running Oct. 2-9. Sports spotlight (Taiwan): At the Asian Games, Taiwanese tennis duo Hsieh Su-wei and Chan Hao-ching reignited their feud after a handshake snub at the women’s doubles final—Chan said she extended her hand but didn’t get a response, while Hsieh downplayed it. Local culture & tourism: Taiwan’s Tourism Administration promoted the island in Irvine, California with “100 Ways to Wonder,” bringing glove puppetry, sky lanterns and Taiwanese food to American visitors. Tech/entertainment buzz: A browser-based “Taipei GTA” web game by AICodeWith hit about 1.2 million concurrent players in three days, drawing gamers while it stays online and free. Business/finance (Taiwan-linked): Taiwan’s stock market climbed for three straight sessions, rising over 820 points (about 1.8%) and hovering just above the 48,475 level.

Box Office Buzz: Amazon MGM’s romance adaptation “Verity” opened to $62.5M worldwide, landing as Colleen Hoover’s second-best global start, while Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Digger” sank with a $20M debut. Taiwan Sports Spotlight: At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games closing, Team Taiwan finished with five golds—its lowest since 1990—including Lin Yu-ting’s boxing repeat gold and soft tennis mixed doubles wins. Cross-Strait Culture & Tech: A browser-based “Taipei GTA” clone reportedly hit 1.2M concurrent players in three days, turning a free web game into a Taiwan-flavored internet hit. Japan-US Tension: Japan filed a strong protest after a US Marine was arrested in Okinawa over a woman’s death, reviving debate over the US military presence. Health & Wellness Research: A Taiwan-led review of 21 clinical trials links structured exercise with lower cancer death and recurrence risk. Local Politics: Campaigns for Nov. 28 local elections are heating up across Kaohsiung, New Taipei City, and Taichung.