The Second Hallyu? : Taiwan’s Newfound Obsession with Korean Stars

In the last few months, Taiwan has shown a sudden interest in casting popular Korean stars as the main leads in Taiwanese dramas. Actually, more accurately, GTV, a Taiwan cable network that produces dramas, has suddenly decided in this marketing strategy, resulting in the casting of Korean celebrities as the main leads in the last three dramas that they’ve announced. Additionally (this is just a neat tidbit), all 3 of these dramas are drama adaptions of popular Japanese mangas. So now we’ve got truly an pan-Asian production: Taiwanese production company and drama, Korean actor/actress, Japanese anime plot.

Gu Hye Sun and Wu Chun in Absolute Boyfriend Remake

Hey everyone!!

I apologize for being a bit behind on this news, I hadn’t known about this remake until yesterday, when I suddenly had a desire to find out what Taiwanese dramas were going to be aired next year. That’s when I stumbled upon news that Gu Hye Sun (Boys Over Flowers) would be starring in a Taiwanese drama adaptation of the popular manga/anime Absolute Boyfriend (Zettai Kareshi) along with Wu Chun. Recently I had been wondering with whom Wu Chun would act with after he had gone through all the Taiwan female leads (he’s basically acted with every famous Taiwan actress there is…), but this? This is unprecedented.