Hotel Saltwater
2024 Taiwanese period drama television series
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Hotel Saltwater (Chinese: 鹽水大飯店; Tongyong Pinyin: Yánshuěi dà fàndiàn; Tâi-lô: Kiâm-tsuí tuā-pn̄g-tiàm) is a 2024 Taiwanese period romance drama series produced by the PTS Taigi Channel. Directed by Cheng Wen-tang and Lin Chih-ju, the series stars Chang Yao-jen, Ellen Wu, Huang Di-yang and Emerson Tsai.[1] Filming began in February 2023.[2] The series premiered on 3 March 2024 on the PTS Taigi Channel, with simultaneous streaming on PTS+ and Netflix.[3]
| Hotel Saltwater | |||||||||||
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| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 鹽水大飯店 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 盐水大饭店 | ||||||||||
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| Genre | Period drama | ||||||||||
| Written by |
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| Directed by |
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| Starring |
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| Composer | Lee Pei-chin | ||||||||||
| Country of origin | Taiwan | ||||||||||
| Original languages | Taiwanese Hokkien, Taiwanese Mandarin | ||||||||||
| No. of episodes | 8 | ||||||||||
| Production | |||||||||||
| Executive producer | Yeh Chen-hsing | ||||||||||
| Producer | Cheng Wen-tang | ||||||||||
| Production locations | Qiaotou District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan | ||||||||||
| Editor | Kuo Chin-ju | ||||||||||
| Running time | 60 minutes | ||||||||||
| Original release | |||||||||||
| Network | PTS Taigi | ||||||||||
| Release | 3 March – 14 April 2024 | ||||||||||
The production received funding from the Kaohsiung Film Archive as part of the "Kaohsiung Drama" initiative.[4] The story is adapted from the youth experiences of agricultural reform activist Tai Chen-yao. Set in 1970s Taiwan under martial law, the narrative follows protagonist Lee Wen-chin as he forms the "Qiaotou Youth Cooperative" and navigates political idealism, love, and deep friendship.
Plot
The series is based on Chen Tseng-chih's 2017 book "Hotel Saltwater: Tai Chen-yao's Revolutionary Youth". Set during the martial law era of 1970s Taiwan, it depicts Lee Wen-chin's participation in the 1979 Formosa Magazine Human Rights Day demonstration for agricultural rights. He faces brutal opposition by the government and this ultimately leads to his imprisonment.[5]
The title "Hotel Saltwater" does not refer to a real location; instead, it is political slang used by prisoners to describe jail conditions, where rice was mixed with salted water as a means of survival.[6]
Original broadcast
| Channel | Region | Premiere date | Air time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS Taigi Channel | Taiwan | 3 March 2024 | Sundays 20:00–22:00 | Two episodes aired on premiere night |
| PTS+ | 3 March 2024 | Weekly simulcast | ||
| Netflix | World | 3 March 2024 | Weekly simulcast |
Cast
Main cast
| Actor | Role | Description | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chang Yao-jen | Lee Wen-chin | A young man from a farming family who becomes politically active and co-founds the Qiaotou Youth Cooperative. | 1–8 |
| Ellen Wu | Cheng Chun-yueh ("Ah-chun") | A restaurant worker who fled an abusive home with her sister; develops feelings for Wen-chin. | 1–8 |
| Emerson Tsai | Jen-huang | Wen-chin's close friend and co-founder of the cooperative; runs an electrical shop. | 1–8 |
| Huang Di-yang | Ah-te | Childhood friend of Wen-chin; works as a debt collector and later shares a prison sentence with Wen-chin. | 1–8 |
Supporting cast
Soundtrack
Hotel Saltwater Original Soundtrack was released digitally on 28 February 2024 and physically (cassette format) on 18 March 2024. It was produced by Peipei Music.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Kiô-á-thâu Youth Cooperative" | 0:33 |
| 2. | "Our Love" | 1:34 |
| 3. | "The Scissor" | 3:59 |
| 4. | "Let's Dance" | 2:29 |
| 5. | "The Invitation" | 0:52 |
| 6. | "The Last Night of 19" | 2:39 |
| 7. | "I Can’t Be with You" | 2:58 |
| 8. | "Beautiful Things" | 1:53 |
| 9. | "Propose" | 2:01 |
| 10. | "A-tik's Reminding" | 2:06 |
| 11. | "Formosa Demonstration" | 4:15 |
| 12. | "Police Hit Residents" | 2:10 |
| 13. | "The Escape" | 2:20 |
| 14. | "All the Worries" | 1:53 |
| 15. | "Daydreaming" | 1:45 |
| 16. | "Thanks for All Your Help" | 1:14 |
| 17. | "The Suffering Stops Here" | 5:35 |
| 18. | "Lunar New Year" | 4:13 |
| 19. | "The Last Night of 19 (Lonely Version)" | 2:36 |
| 20. | "Come Back Home" | 2:06 |
| 21. | "Joining the Democratic Movement is like Dancing" | 4:19 |
Awards
| Year | Awarding Body | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 59th Golden Bell Awards | Best Miniseries | Hotel Saltwater | Nominated |
| Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film | Chang Yao-jen | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film | Huang Di-yang | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film | Fang Wen-lin | Nominated[7] | ||
| Best Director in a Miniseries or Television Film | Cheng Wen-tang and Lin Chih-ju | Won[8] | ||
| Best Writing for a Miniseries or Television Film | Chen Fang-chi and Cheng Wen-tang | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Song for a Drama Series | Sun Shu-mei, Yang Ya-che, and A-hsiang – "No Hindrance" (《無罣礙》) | Nominated | ||
| 2025 | 2025 Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards | Best Adaptation from an Original Work | Hotel Saltwater | Won |