Riding on the success of Taiwanese Series – Mom, Don’t Do That!,
CJ ENM HONG KONG LTD continues to expand its local language scripted series production pipeline with the brand new Taiwanese series The Amazing Grace of Σ. This is a 12-episodes crime, mystery thriller co-produced with Taiwan-based Rosebud Production. Based on real-life cases at home and abroad, the series shows the ways spiritual growth organizations manipulate people and how they abuse people’s vulnerabilities. What is the central appeal of a cult? Is it really the leader’s power, or is it a rare love people seek? This is also the first time that such a topic was ever made in Taiwan. The executive producers of the series are Michael Jung and Stanley Hsu with CJ ENM HK handling worldwide distribution.
The first 2 episodes of the series had its world premiere at Series Mania, one of Europe’s biggest and most prestigious TV series festivals based in Lille, France earlier in September and was also selected to screen at the recent Golden Horse 2021 Film Festival. Both episodes debut to rave reviews, with Series Mania calling it “…intriguing from its opening, with a simple parallel montage that creates a symmetry between the guru Master Bensheng and the pop star Muqi.”
The Amazing Grace of Σ features a list of A-listers, including the newly crowned Golden Horse Best Supporting Actress Wang Yu Xuan, Aaron Yan (Best Host, 2021 Golden Bell Awards and former member of Idol Group Fahrenheit), Jack Yao (Best Actor, 2020 Golden Bell Awards), Francesca Gao (Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, Golden Bell Awards), Samantha Ko (Two-time Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress, Golden Bell Awards), and Yi Jung Wu (Best Actress, 2020 Golden Bell Awards and New York Festival TV & Film Awards). The series is written and directed by award-winning scriptwriter Wu Luo Ying (Best Writing for a Television Series, Golden Bell Awards) who began researching for the show in 2019, and Ray Jiang (Best Director, Golden Bell Awards). This series is currently in post-production and will be ready to premiere on international streaming platforms in 2022.
The opening ceremony in Taiwan took place on Tuesday (23 Nov) for the previously announced series, Venus on Mars, one of the 3 premium scripted series made for global streaming audiences that marries Taiwanese, Singaporean and Regional talents, supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) under the Capability Partnership Programme.
“Our creative talent have continually demonstrated their tenacity in overcoming the pandemic’s on-ground challenges to co-create incredible stories with international partners such as CJ ENM HK. One such co-production is Venus on Mars, currently undergoing on-location filming in Taiwan, and I look forward to enjoying the stories that Yee-wei and other Singapore creators will tell in the coming years.” said IMDA’s Assistant Chief Executive, Media, Innovation, Communications and Marketing, Justin Ang”
Venus On Mars, a 6-part high concept sci-fi, romantic comedy series features a bevy of popular casts from Taiwan and Singapore with Taiwanese actress Ivy Shao and Tsao Yu Ning taking the leading roles, supported by former Boyband SpeXial member Wes Lo, veteran actor Renzo Liu and Taiwan-based Singapore actors Gina Lim and Wong Jing Lun. The story revolves around an undergraduate student, Weina (played by Ivy Shao), who is accidentally transported into a parallel world where there are only men – the ‘M-Earth.’ In this new world where she is the only female, Weina re-evaluates her own thoughts on feminism and equality between genders, life, and love.
The series is being produced by Mocha Chai Laboratories’ Managing Partner, Michelle Chang, a veteran in Content and Business Development with one of Singapore’s most prolific and award-winning filmmakers, Chai Yee Wei as director with support from producers of CJ ENM Korea as script consultants. The series is in collaboration with award-winning veteran Taiwanese producer, Phil Tang (GM of Greener Grass Productions and Monomyth Films) and written by award-winning Taiwanese writer Huang Yu Chia, (Golden Bell Awards for Best Script). Filming is taking place in Taiwan with post-production in Singapore. CJ ENM is handling worldwide distribution.
“We are delighted to close 2021 with another great collaboration in Taiwan for an exquisite never-been-filmed topic Chinese language series, The Amazing Grace of Σ with many top Taiwanese talents, and also having finally started the filming for our previously announced series – Venus on Mars with cast not only from Taiwan but Singapore as well. 2022 is going to be a busy year with more productions to come and we look forward to bring all our productions to the global streaming audience.” Michael Jung, Managing Director, CJ ENM Hong Kong.
