Island Nation
Taiwanese television series
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Island Nation (Chinese: 國際橋牌社) is a Taiwanese political drama based on Taiwan's transition from an authoritarian state to a democracy in the 1990s.[1] The season 1 covered the history from 1990 to 1994. The series will include 80 episodes over 8 seasons,[2] with the first season premiering on January 20, 2020.[3] The second season, Island Nation 2, debuted on September 12, 2021.[4]
| Island Nation | |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 國際橋牌社 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Guójì Qiáopái Shè |
| Tâi-lô | Kok‑tsè Kiâu-pâi Siā |
| Genre | Historical drama Political drama |
| Directed by | Wang Yi-xin, Lin Shi-zhang, Sun Da-jun, Lin Long-yin |
| Starring | Akira Chen Chia-Kuei Chen Chen Yu Hsia Teng-hung Kurt Chou Johnny Lu Ricie Fun Yang Lie Mario Pu Chen Jia-kui An Jun-peng Akio Chen |
| Theme music composer | Fire EX. |
| Opening theme | Stand Up Like A Taiwanese(Chinese: 無名英雄) |
| Country of origin | Taiwan |
| Original languages | Mandarin Taiwanese Hokkien English Japanese Korean Eastern Min Matsu dialect |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 20 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Wang Yi-xin, Xiong Jiu-shan |
| Production locations | Taiwan Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Pingtung, Yilan |
| Production company | Marktwain Production |
| Original release | |
| Network | Far EasTone Public Television Service Line TV |
| Release | 20 January 2020 |
| Related | |
| Island Nation Spin-off: Hoping | |
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 10 | January 20, 2020 | January 20, 2020 | |
| 2 | 10 | September 12, 2021 | October 1, 2021 | |
Production
US$2.46 million was spent on the first season, with the Ministry of Culture subsidizing US$0.98 million in production costs.[2] A replica of the Presidential Office Building was built at a Republic of China Navy base in Taoyuan, while the presidential inauguration scene was filmed in the building itself.[2][5]
Casting was a challenge, as several local actors and actresses declined roles in the series, for fear of compromising their ability to work in China.[3]
Critical reception
Cinema Escapist described Island Nation as "one of the most compelling series in Taiwanese entertainment history thus far", noting the contrast to the apolitical stance and self-censorship undertaken by many Taiwanese entertainers in order to access China's media market.[6] The second season of the series was promoted by Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen on an Instagram post.[4]
Adaption
Be adapted into board game Island Nation(board game).