Actor Wu Kang-ren (吳慷仁), who was once seen as being pro-Taiwan for having participated in the Sunflower movement in 2014, has reportedly joined an agency in China, seemingly diverting his career westward to Beijing. It has stirred up heated debate in Taiwan as some fans feel betrayed.
Actor Chang Chin-hao (張晉豪) tried to explain Wu’s actions, saying that Taiwan’s entertainment industry is declining, and that Wu is just seeking better opportunities for his career development.
If that is true, why have South Korean artists Lee Da-hye (李多慧) and An Ji-hyun (安芝儇) relocated to Taiwan?
Obviously, the “art” of making a living that South Korean and Taiwanese artists choose differs greatly. In Taiwan, those who settle in the country believe that “where there is ease, there is home,” while those who leave look back at it as a bleak beginning.
The primary focus of the art of K-pop is visual: South Korean artists are photogenic; South Korean music videos are dazzling; South Korean dancers perform synchronous movements.
If we close our eyes and just listen without moving our bodies with the rhythm, K-pop is not as mesmerizing as it might be.
This might be why K-pop has conquered the world. It does not matter if foreign teenagers do not speak Korean. What it takes to be a fan of K-pop is imagining oneself as a shining star who loves dancing.
The art of Taiwanese artists is talking. Variety shows are mostly talk shows and dialogue matters in dramas.
In Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting, Robert McKee said: “The famous axiom ‘show, don’t tell’ is the key.”
Taiwanese screenwriters disobey this instruction far more than those of South Korean dramas and Japanese anime. Taiwanese dramas rely too much on expository dialogue to explain what is going on at any time, regardless of how long it takes. Therefore, if Taiwanese actors and actresses wish to increase their income, it is only a matter of time before they seek out opportunities in the entertainment business in China, which is the closest to Taiwan in terms of language.
However, that industry is in the palm of the Chinese Communist Party’s hands. Referring to China as the “mainland” has become a passcode for Taiwanese artists, especially those seen as being pro-Taiwan, to gain access to the Chinese market.
South Korean stars, who are good at dancing and are good-looking, do not have to publicly apologize. Even if they are denied access to the Chinese market, they can simply go to other countries to work.
Experienced readers would know that the way a person talks, how fast they speak and their intonation are more important than what they talk about.
No wonder McKee suggests that screenwriters avoid “telling.”
It would be better if Taiwanese stars were versatile enough to shine all over the world like K-pop artists. If they could, they would not have to worry about their career no matter how things evolve in the Taiwan Strait.
Jimway Chang has a master’s degree in history from National Tsing Hua University and is a high-school history teacher.
Translated by Fion Khan
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