GBA Race: Seqalu: Formosa 1867 is the most unstoppable Taiwan period drama | Opinion
Shortlisted for 13 awards, Seqalu: Formosa 1867 marks the liveliest punch among the nominated works of 57th Golden Bell Awards.
Given that Taiwanese dramas now enjoy relatively abundant production resources, what are the advantages of the five nominees competing for Best Television Series at this year’s 57th Golden Bell Awards?
The Rover Incident alone has unfolded the organic growth process of the multi-ethnic symbiotic system of Taiwanese–deconstructed by external forces and reborn by the Self. The process is, of course, full of blood and sweat. The whole series first centers on Shui (played by Wu Kang-Ren 吳慷仁) who stunningly embodies both humanity and ghostly nature with his first-class performance, emphasizing the Hoklo-Pingpu’s strong desire to survive in the face of confrontations with various great powers. To highlight the times of conflicts, even the US armed force is destroyed.
Considering that Japanese or Chinese historical dramas often pace the narrative into 40 to 50 episodes, one realizes the tremendous work Seqalu: Formosa 1867 put into condensing the whole storyline into merely 12 episodes. A series that requires intensive comprehension work certainly has a hard time pleasing its audience. However, just as Hou Hsiao-Hsien (侯孝賢) to Taiwanese movies and Tsao Jui-Yuan (曹瑞原) to Taiwanese dramas are examples of filming stories of Taiwanese people whole-heartedly. Shui’s devotion to his people, the chieftain and his daughters’ vow to the tribe all mark the same moving commitment.
Filming Seqalu: Formosa 1867 is similar to a process that Taiwanese have to experience when facing their own history and seeking identity.
Among the nominees for Best Television Series at 57th Golden Bell Awards, Seqalu: Formosa 1867 impresses the committee with its inspiring topic, value and the creatives’ unrelenting passion for filming a relevant story. Yet, it demands the audience’s patience to savor this rather serious, history-oriented piece.
Read the other analyses for the nominated Best Television Series of the 57th Golden Bell Awards.
The Making of an Ordinary Woman 2: A cure for the maladies of contemporary civilization
Gold Leaf: the uplifting warmth among Taiwan dramas
Danger Zone: the overlord that breaks the convention in every way
Seqalu: Formosa 1867: the most unstoppable period drama
Light the Night: praised as the Taiwanese Squid Game
Will, one day, Taiwanese drama march on to the Emmys?
These are my analysis of the nominees of the 57th Golden Bell Awards for Best Television Series. Looking at the major TV and movie awards around the world, we would find that the logic of the awards varies. No matter how much big data and professional analysis are conducted, it is impossible to precisely predict the considerations of the committee composed of different professional fields. The saying of “being shortlisted equals gaining recognition” is not created to comfort the nominees, but to reflect the committee’s dilemma when decisions are hard to make.
Would the Golden Bell Awards signify the Taiwanese Emmy Awards? Or, as we’re always asking, “will, one day, Taiwanese drama march on to the Emmys and win big like ‘Squid Game’”? The answer is a resounding yes. It took 20 years of hard work for Korean dramas to fully blossom. For now, it only took two or three years for Taiwanese drama to embrace its revival.
If we keep up this momentum with resilience, a wider global audience will surely appreciate and embrace the beauty of Taiwanese dramas in five or ten years.
Original text from Dramago.
Written by Cheercut
Edits by Chen Shan-Shan
Copyedits by Yang Lee
Translation by Maggie Sur-Han Chang
Editorial review by Whitney Hung
