Cover It may be time to give Taiwan dramas another chance. (Photo: IMDB)
It may be time to give Taiwan dramas another chance. (Photo: IMDB)
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The spotlight on Taiwan dramas may have dimmed, but its entertainment industry has continued to evolve
Back in the early aughts, before your TikTok feed was dominated by K-pop dance challenges and every other show was either a grim-dark South Korean thriller, there was Meteor Garden. In the early 2000s, this Taiwanese idol drama wasn't just a show; it was a genuine cultural phenomenon that exploded across Asia. It birthed heartthrob supergroups like F4, set the template for every rich-boy-poor-girl fantasy and essentially laid the groundwork for the entire Hallyu wave, even before South Korea fully realised what was happening.
But then, something curious occurred. As the K-drama machine revved up, perfecting its blend of slick production, high concepts and relentless marketing, Taiwan’s once-dominant drama scene seemed to fade from the global spotlight. It became the overlooked elder sibling, still crafting compelling stories, but largely overshadowed by the surging tide of Korean content. Suddenly, Taiwan’s dramas, despite their unique charm and often deeper narratives, felt a bit like a well-kept secret.
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But Taiwan never stopped making excellent television. While the world was busy bingeing Descendants of the Sun or Goblin, it was quietly and brilliantly refining its craft. From the frothy rom-coms that perfected the genre to the gritty, award-winning social commentaries pushing boundaries, a rich vein of captivating series followed in Meteor Garden’s footsteps. This is the story of the best Taiwan dramas that proved the island’s entertainment industry was far from a one-hit wonder, and certainly not ready to be confined to the forgotten annals of early-2000s nostalgia.
1. ‘It Started with a Kiss’ (2005) and ‘They Kiss Again’ (2007)
If Meteor Garden was Taiwan’s rich-boy fantasy, this was its definitive slow-burn rom-com. Based on the Japanese manga Itazura Na Kiss, the series follows the adorably hapless Xiang Qin (Ariel Lin) as she pines for her genius but emotionally constipated classmate Zhi Shu (Joe Cheng). The slapstick charm, oddball side characters and decade-long pining turned this into a gold standard for the “she’s chaotic, he’s cold” romance trope. Korea later polished this formula (Playful Kiss), but many fans still swear the Taiwanese version had more heart, not to mention more hilarious awkwardness.
2. ‘The Prince Who Turns into a Frog’ (2005)
Before K-dramas became obsessed with amnesia tropes, The Prince Who Turns into a Frog had already set the standard. A high-flying CEO loses his memory and falls for a kind, unassuming girl, only to regain his past life (and his jerk persona) later. Starring Ming Dao and Joe Chen, this show was a ratings monster, a testament to the fact that audiences worldwide loved a good amnesia plot and a compelling redemption arc alongside their sweeping romance.
3. ‘Fated to Love You’ (2008)
A one-night stand, an accidental pregnancy and a shotgun marriage? This was the rom-com that broke all previous records by other Taiwanese dramas. Chen Xin Yi (Joe Chen) plays the unassuming office girl who ends up entangled with rich, emotionally unavailable Ji Cun Xi (Ethan Juan). It’s laugh-out-loud funny in parts but also emotionally bruising in others, balancing silliness with surprising sincerity. The later Korean remake grabbed more international headlines, but the Taiwanese original remains a textbook example of how to make a trope-filled plot work.
4. ‘In Time with You’ (2011)
Forget over-the-top meet-cutes—this was the grown-up rom-com Taiwan needed. Starring Ariel Lin and Bolin Chen, the show follows two best friends teetering on the edge of something more as they navigate careers, bad relationships and the slow realisation that maybe they’ve been each other’s person all along. It swept the Golden Bell Awards and offered a smarter, more bittersweet take on love, timing and missed chances.
5. ‘The Fierce Wife’ (2010)
This wildly popular drama was a gut punch to Taiwan’s primetime. It fearlessly tackled infidelity and divorce, sparking nationwide debates about marriage, loyalty and female empowerment in a society that often shied away from such topics on screen. The Fierce Wife was a clear signal that Taiwan dramas were ready to move beyond youthful innocence and engage with the complex realities of adult life, often with a raw honesty that felt distinctly Taiwanese.
6. ‘The World Between Us’ (2019)
This show didn’t just win awards; it fundamentally changed the conversation around Asian dramas. A chilling, sensitive exploration of the aftermath of a mass shooting, the drama connects journalists, lawyers, victims’s families and the perpetrator’s relatives. Tackling media ethics, mental health stigma and justice, the show was praised for its layered storytelling and social critique. It became an international festival darling and remains one of the most critically acclaimed Taiwan dramas of the decade.
7. ‘Someday or One Day’ (2019)
Part time-travel mystery, part coming-of-age romance, and fully the reason a whole new generation fell back in love with Taiwan dramas. Huang Yu Xuan (Alice Ko) mourns her lost boyfriend, only to wake up trapped in another girl’s body in 1998. Back in time, she meets a boy who looks exactly like him. Smartly plotted with shocking twists and aching nostalgia, the show gained international traction on streaming platforms and inspired cosplay, TikTok edits and endless Reddit theories.
See more: 8 Korean shows remade from Taiwanese and Chinese dramas
8. ‘The Victims’ Game’ (2020)
A dark, gritty and utterly compelling crime thriller, this Netflix original production brought new global eyes to Taiwan’s drama scene. This is a forensic crime drama that explores complex family ties. Fang Yi Jen (Joseph Chang), a brilliant but socially isolated forensic investigator with Asperger’s, discovers that his estranged daughter is linked to a series of murders. The show’s atmospheric noir tone, tight pacing and willingness to dive into neurodiversity themes set it apart from your standard crime procedural.
