Asian led romantic comedies and dramas are on fire. Today, Paramount+ released the first trailer and key art for Love in Taipei, starring Ross Butler, Ashley Liao and Nico Hiraga. The film is based on the best selling book Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen, and tells the story of a young Asian American girl sent to Taiwan by her parents for a cultural immersion program.
Liao plays Ever Wong, who travels to Taipei and promptly falls into a love triangle with two absolute heartthrobs in Rick Woo (Ross Butler) and Xavier Yeh (Nico Hiraga). I was curious how Butler, who is actually 33, would fit into this role, but whether he’s been de-aged in the film or just has amazing genes, he looks incredibly youthful.
The concept of the film is one that many Asian Americans can related to. Growing up, I often heard of classmates who were sent on these “loveboat” trips by their parents, which turned into one, summer-long party. It’s fun to see these culturally authentic experiences told in a feature film and I’m sure the actual loveboat tours are about to see a significant uptick in sign-ups.
Love in Taipei will premiere Thursday, August 10 exclusively on the service in the U.S. and Canada, on August 11 in the UK and Australia, and on August 25 in Latin America, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France. The premiere date for South Korea and additional territories will be announced at a later date.
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PARAMOUNT+ RELEASES TRAILER & KEY ART FOR NEW ORIGINAL FILM LOVE IN TAIPEI, STARRING ROSS BUTLER, ASHLEY LIAO AND NICO HIRAGA
LOVE IN TAIPEI Will Premiere Exclusively on Paramount+ on Thursday, August 10
LOVE IN TAIPEI is Based on the New York Times’ Best-Selling Novel Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen and Produced by ACE Entertainment and 1 Productions Film
July 26, 2023 – Paramount+ today released the official trailer and key art for the all-new YA film LOVE IN TAIPEI, based on the New York Times’ best-selling novel Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen. In the novel, a young American woman is sent by her parents to a cultural immersion program in Taipei – inspired by an actual program attended by thousands of Chinese and Taiwanese diaspora youth – where she begins a new journey of self-discovery and romance. LOVE IN TAIPEI will premiere Thursday, August 10 exclusively on the service in the U.S. and Canada, on August 11 in the UK and Australia, and on August 25 in Latin America, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France. The premiere date for South Korea and additional territories will be announced at a later date.
LOVE IN TAIPEI stars Ashley Liao (Physical, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) as Ever Wong, whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program. Ever is surprised to discover that she hasn’t signed up for homework and history lessons, but instead for a summer-long free-for-all the locals and other students call “Loveboat.” It quickly lives up to its name when Ever finds herself trying not to fall for two attractive but wildly different boys who are vying for her attention, while at the same time finding the courage to defy her parents’ high expectations and pursue her true passion: dancing.
In addition to Ashley Liao, LOVE IN TAIPEI also stars Ross Butler (Shazam! Fury of the Gods, To All The Boys franchise) as Rick Woo, a prominent sports and scholastic prodigy; Nico Hiraga (Booksmart, Moxie) as Xavier Yeh, a free-spirited artist and heir to an international tech empire; Chelsea Zhang (Daybreak, Titans) as Ever’s friend Sophie, whom she meets at Loveboat; and Cindy Cheung (The Sinner, 13 Reasons Why) as Ever’s Aunt Shu.
LOVE IN TAIPEI is directed by Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?) and produced by Matt Kaplan for Ace Entertainment. The film, shot on location in Taipei, is based on the bestselling book Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen, who also serves as executive producer, and screenplay by Charlie Oh and Mackenzie Dohr. Christopher Foss, Matthew Janzen, Max Siemers, Aubrey Bendix, Cheng-Chung Chang, and Ross Butler also serve as executive producers. The production was headed by Ace Entertainment, which purchased the film rights to the novel, financed and oversaw production with 1 Productions Film. Lionsgate handled the film’s sale globally to Paramount+. Paramount Global Content Distribution will distribute the film, with additional territories to be announced.
HarperCollins published the book series, which continues the journey with Loveboat Reunion and the upcoming Loveboat Forever.
About Paramount+
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Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
