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“A Camp Unknown” Sheds Light on a Forgotten Period in Taiwan’s History

·March 18, 2023·3 min read

The PTS documentary "A Camp Unknown" (彼岸他方), directed by Awei Liu, proves an insightful look at a forgotten period in Taiwanese history. The documentary examines refugee camps for Chinese Vietnamese refugees that existed in Taiwan from 1977 to 1988 Read More

“A Chip Odyssey” Provides a Look at the Rise of the Semiconductor Industry in Taiwan

English Film

·June 15, 2025·2 min read

A Chip Odyssey is an effective, if somewhat unoriginal look at the foundations of the semiconductor industry in Taiwan Read More

“A Journey in Spring” is a Moving, Understated Story of Loss

English Film

·June 8, 2025·2 min read

A Journey in Spring is a moving, understated film about an elderly Taiwanese couple, Khim-Hok and Siu-Tuan. Its focus on love, mortality, and aging proves reminiscent of Michael Haneke’s Amour—but as though it details what happens after the end of the film Read More

“A Sense of Unity and Resilience”: Eastern Margin’s Road 2 Redline Tour

English Interviews Music

·June 17, 2023·6 min read

New Bloom's Brian Hioe spoke with obese.dogma777, rEmPiT g0dDe$$, and Lumi about Eastern Margins' recent Road 2 Redline tour of Southeast Asia, collaborating with artists that previously worked on their Redline Legends album, released in 2021. The tour included stops in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Jakarta, Bangkok, Bandung, and Saigon Read More

“A Taiwanese Ecoliterature Reader” Shows the Subject of Taiwan As It Emerges in Translation

Books English

·December 28, 2025·1 min read

A Taiwanese Ecoliterature Reader edited by Ian Rowen, Ti-Han Chang, and Darryl Sterk, proves a useful look at the literary imagination of nature in contemporary Taiwanese literature Read More

“Another World” is Beautifully Animated But Stumbles on Its Plot

English Film

·June 14, 2026·1 min read

While well-animated, Hong Kong animated film Another World ultimately stumbles due to its hackneyed plot and setting. Another World follows Gudo, a childlike spiritual guide who guides deceased human souls to reincarnation. Human souls, if they become corrupted by hate and anger, may instead turn into wraiths–demonic monstrosities that are unable to reincarnate Read More

“Bad Education” Proves A Capable Directorial Debut for Kai Ko

English Film

·April 3, 2023·3 min read

Actor Kai Ko's directorial debut, Bad Education, is a capable film with many merits. Though still entertainment fare at the end of the day, much is to be praised about the movie, which like many hit Taiwanese movies in past years has a script penned by novelist Giddens Ko Read More

“Day Off” Depicts the Relation Between a Mother and Her Children During a Time of Transition

English Film

·March 31, 2023·3 min read

Day Off, which has won accolades for lead actress Lu Hsiao-fen, proves a heartfelt depiction of the relationship between a mother and her children during a time of transition Read More

“Dead Talents Society” is a Humorous Send-Up of Taiwanese Influencer Culture

English Film

·September 2, 2024·2 min read

Detention director John Hsu’s latest film, Dead Talents Society, is a capable and humorous if unremarkable work. Hsu’s aim seems to steer away from Detention’s serious subject matter, seeing as it is set during the White Terror, while maintaining the horror frame. But even if the film has mixed results, Hsu at least proves that he is equally adept at comedy Read More

“Dear Chrysanthemums” Offers a Humanistic Lens on Chinese History

Books English

·November 4, 2023·1 min read

Dear Chrysanthemums, by Fiona Sze-Lorrain, is a well-crafted set of stories set during various points in modern Chinese history Read More

“Dear Corky” Pays Tribute to a Beloved Photographer of Chinatown

English Film

·October 25, 2022·2 min read

“Dear Corky” is a tribute to the photographer Corky Lee, who spent decades documenting Asian American life, and died in 2021 from COVID-19. The short documentary film was assembled from footage shot of Lee before his death, though this may not have been with the aim of creating a documentary about Lee at first Read More

“Didi” is a Gentle and Heartfelt Tribute to Adolescence

English Film

·September 24, 2024·3 min read

Didi, the first feature-length film by a Taiwanese American director, Sean Wang, is a gentle and heartfelt tribute to the growing pains of adolescence Read More