World Softest Productions is developing “Taiwan Travelogue,” an adaptation of the U.S. National Book Award-winning novel by Taiwanese author Yang Twins, which depicts the complex relationship between two women against the backdrop of Japan’s 1938 colonial rule in Taiwan.
The series, which is currently in script development, was selected at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF). The story follows Chizuko Aoyama, a Japanese writer who travels to Taiwan to give a lecture while escaping the pressures of marriage in her home country. There, she meets Chizuru Ochizuru, a talented local interpreter who becomes an indispensable guide to understanding Taiwan, and their relationship reveals the painful reality of colonial power dynamics.
“What attracted us to ‘Taiwan Travel’ was the relationship between the two women,” said Chen Yu Chang, Executive Producer and Producer of World Softsoft Productions Director General. “Chizuko has a strong sense of justice and is not afraid to say what she thinks, but Chizuru suppresses her emotions and hides her true feelings deep within her heart.”
The story follows two young women who grow closer through their shared experiences with food and culture, only to come face to face with unbridgeable gaps created by language, power, and identity. When Chizuko tries to protect Chizuru in a way that she considers “a well-meaning Japanese perspective,” she accidentally hurts Chizuru’s dignity. The interpreter eventually confronts the writer and tells him that it is not the real Chizuru that Chizuko wants to protect, but the idealized Chizuru.
“They’re like magnets, hopelessly drawn to each other, but destined to drift apart at some point,” Chan explains. “We want to depict that kind of love, a love that cannot even be surpassed by the word ‘love’.”
This work brings together a team of renowned collaborators from Japan and Taiwan. Executive producer Jade Lin, who invested in the hit horror series “The Tag-Along” and produced acclaimed series such as “The World Between Us II” and “Wave Makers,” brings experience in elevating Taiwanese content to global platforms. Japanese producer Sachiko Maehata adds experience in international co-productions including NTV’s “Shark” and YouTube Originals’ “Gray Zone Agency, Inc.”
Erika Yoshida is a scriptwriter for the anime “Bocchi the Rock!” and other works. ” series “Tiger and Wings” is in charge of the adaptation. The work is “Cherry Magic! ” won the Best Script Award at the KKTV Japan Drama Awards.
Chan emphasizes that the story’s themes resonate across historical contexts. “This story, set in 1938 as war quietly approaches, reflects a time of uncertainty. But 90 years later, humanity still lives with the same fears and anxieties,” he says. “Wars continue, and in a globalized world, differences in culture, identity, and gender still form power hierarchies and tensions between people.”
The series will begin filming in both Japan and Taiwan in 2026 and is scheduled to be released in the fourth quarter of 2027. Mr. Chan points out that Taiwan’s historic buildings are well preserved and will help recreate “the energetic and fascinating world of Taiwan in the 1930s, a time when life was vibrant and full of discovery.”
At TCCF, World Softest Productions is looking for a sales partner and distribution platform for the project. “This project is not just aimed at Taiwanese and Japanese audiences,” says Chan. “Set during the Japanese colonial period in Taiwan, the film aims to make the history concrete and emotionally resonant, allowing more viewers to experience that time alongside the characters.”
Mr. Chan, who participated in Arte’s documentary “Triads: The Chinese Mafia on the Rise” in 2024 and launched “The Thrifty Family,” which ranks among the top 10 streaming programs in Taiwan, also produced the 2025 documentary “Have you eaten yet? Tasting Taitai,” which was nominated for three awards: Best Lifestyle Program, Best Director, and Best Cinematography at the Golden Chong Awards.
