Forget You Not

Source: Netflix

‘Forget You Not’

Netflix is ramping up its Chinese-language entertainment with five drama series set for 2025, toplined by Shu Qi, Lee Sinje and Alice Ko and directed by Rene Liu, Li Nien-hsiu and Chien Chi-feng.

The five series – four Taiwanese productions and one licensed title from mainland China – span romantic comedy, revenge and period drama and feature local stories from rising voices to industry icons.

Starring Alice Ko (Copycat Killer) and Jasper Liu (Twogether), I Am Married…But! is a romantic comedy series that offers an unconventional look at marriage through a woman who is trapped in a cycle of wanting to leave her mummy’s boy husband but not being able to, until she meets a soulmate on a dating app. Scheduled to launch on Valentine’s Day, it marks the debut series of writer-director Li Nien-hsiu, who won a Taipei Film Award in 2016 for her documentary Hebei Taipei and received a Golden Horse Award in 2022 for short film Can You Hear Me?.

Forget You Not, set for Q2, marks the first series directed by award-winning singer-actress Rene Liu, who previously made her directorial feature debut Us And Them in 2018. Inspired by her life, the upcoming series follows the courageous journey of an aspiring stand-up comedian as she juggles the challenges of divorce and an aging father. The cast is headed by Hsieh Ying-xuan (Born For The Spotlight) and screen legend Chin Han, marking his return to Taiwanese drama after many years, with a special appearance by Wallace Huo (Light The Night).

International stars Shu Qi (The Assassin) and Lee Sinje (The Garden Of Evening Mists) make their first appearance in a Netflix series with revenge thriller The Resurrected, which will drop in Q3. The duo play desperate mothers who resurrect the deceased leader of a scam ring in a bid to avenge their kidnapped daughters. Fu Meng-po (The Abandoned) co-stars, with a special appearance by Alyssa Chia (The Falls). Directors are Leste Chen (Eternal Summer) and Hsu Chao-jen (Delicious Romance).

Had I Not Seen The Sun is a two-part drama that reunites writers Chien Chi-feng and Lin Hsin-huei of 2019’s Someday or One Day, a hit time-travel series that inspired a Korean remake. The new series, set for Q4, follows a young woman who visits a prison to interview a serial killer for a documentary and encounters a bizarre female ghost with a hidden past. The series blends romance and mystery, tackling dark and heavy themes that are rare on traditional platforms. Directors are Chiang Chi-cheng and Chien in his directorial debut. The main cast includes Tseng Jing-hua, Moon Lee, Lyan Chen and Chiang Chi.

Perfect Match, which premiered on January 25 in time for the Lunar New Year festivities, is a period romantic comedy series set in Northern Song Dynasty and revolves around a matriarch who scouts for the perfect match for each of her five daughters. While rich in period details, it offers contemporary ideas about gender dynamics and empowerment. It is a licensed title from mainland China, executive produced by Yu Zheng (Story Of Yanxi Palace) and directed by Yang Huan (Lost You Forever), Bai Yun-mo and Ma Shi-ge (The Double). The ensemble cast comprises Lu Yu-xiao (Blossoms In Adversity), Wang Xing-yue (The Double), Ni Hong-jie and Liu Xie-ning.

Through its Taiwan office – one of the nine the streaming platform has across Asia Pacific – Netflix has been lending support to the local creative community. Last year, the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity in Taiwan was launched, hosting workshops for writers and producers, as well as a VFX workshop for Taiwanese filmmakers in Seoul as part of an initiative led by the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival. These efforts will continue this year to further nurture local talent and local storytelling.

Taiwan-based Maya Huang, Netflix’s head of Chinese-language content, highlighted several standout Taiwanese drama series from last year, including Let’s Talk About CHU for its novel, comedic twist on family drama; GG Precinct for its gritty yet humorous crime storytelling; and the second season of The Victims’ Game for its gripping detective narrative; and Born For The Spotlight for its emotional exploration of female friendship and the struggles of showbiz.

“The common thread in the reception of these diverse stories was unmistakable — Taiwanese audiences feel a profound connection to local entertainment,” said Huang. “There’s a strong appetite for relatable stories brought to life by talents from the region, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. And we know there are audiences all around the world who love our Chinese-language stories.”

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