Why ‘Fired Up!’ could be your next Taiwanese drama obsession
MANILA, Philippines — It has been years since a Taiwanese series gripped Filipino audiences quite like “Meteor Garden,” which helped usher in the “Asianovela” craze in the country.
Now, “Fired Up!,” a new Taiwanese series led by Mandopop (Mandarin Pop) superstar Eric Chou, has the ingredients that could rekindle Filipino viewers’ appetite for Taiwanese dramas, with its fusion of romance, friendship, revenge, family struggles, underdog characters and plenty of food.
The 12-episode HBO Original is adapted from GwangJin’s popular Kakao Webtoon “Itaewon Class,” which previously spawned the hit 2020 Korean drama of the same name. This time, the story is reimagined through Taiwanese characters, culture and cuisine.
At the center is Chou Lu-yung, played by Eric — also known as Taiwan’s “King of Lovelorn People for his emotionally charged hit ballads — in his first lead role in a drama series.
After a string of setbacks, he becomes determined to uncover the truth surrounding his father’s death while fighting to keep the family-owned restaurant, Jin Lai Hao, alive.
Joining him on Jin Lai Hao are Angela Yuen as Chao Yi-hsuan, the strong-willed food influencer who becomes restaurant manager; Akira Huang as the waiter Lin Chin-nan; and Cosmos Lin as chef Ma Yu-li.
On the other side are Sean Lin’s Chang Chien-yuan, who emerges as Lu-yung’s biggest rival, and Ben Wu’s Chang Chien-wu, the tech-savvy younger son of the powerful Chang family.
Shao Yu-wei, on the other hand, is Wu Hsiu-wen, a marketing boss at the Chang Hsin Group but who also happens to be Lu-yung’s first love.
During a recent interview with The Philippine STAR, the cast shared why they believe the characters and themes of “Fired Up!” could connect with viewers around the region, including Filipinos.
Angela believes one of the show’s strongest points is something Filipinos know well: bonding over food.
“I think one of the main highlights of the show is the food, specifically the stir-fry restaurant setting. Across Asia, we all have our own local versions of stir-fry culture, so I believe the food element will really resonate with audiences throughout the region,” she said.
The underdog spirit is another familiar element, with Eric describing Lu-yung as someone who refuses to give up despite one obstacle after another.
“He’s someone who has faced countless setbacks and failures in life, yet he always manages to pick himself back up,” Eric told this writer.
“That resilience ultimately sets him on a path of revenge as he strives to become stronger and braver. I think his courage is what makes him so compelling.”
Shao’s Hsiu-wen, meanwhile, could resonate through her story of taking on family responsibilities at a young age.
“I play Wu Hsiu-wen, a young woman carrying an immense amount of pressure. Raised by her grandmother without her parents around, she had to grow up fast and shoulder heavy responsibilities from an early age,” Shao said.
“She has to care for her grandmother and fight hard just to survive. Despite everything, she works her way up step by step to achieve her goals. Others may not always agree with her choices along the way, but Hsiu-wen remains firmly committed to her path.”
Of course, “Fired Up!” has its ample share of romance, humor and quirky moments, including Eric’s very first scene for the series, which had him wearing a chicken mascot costume.
“The scene that stands out most to me is the first time I meet Yi-hsuan. I was wearing a chicken mascot costume and had to chase after her,” he recalled.
“It left a strong impression because it was also my very first scene. Meeting Yi-hsuan that way felt both adorable and absurd.”
Ben quickly added: “Right! We were playing volleyball, and I was riding a bike with Yi-hsuan on the back. Then she literally flew off and crashed right into you.”
That scene would set the tone for the relationship between Angela and Eric’s characters. The former said that Yi-hsuan finds herself drawn to the culinary industry almost as much as she is to Lu-yung.
“She’s a really cool and strong character, and her only real weakness is Lu-yung. It was almost love at first sight for her,” the actress said. “Even though she could succeed in any field she chooses, she decides to enter the culinary industry because she wants to build an empire. It’s an amazing story.”
If the characters were Taiwanese dishes
With food so central to “Fired Up!,” The STAR had to ask the cast which dish served at Jin Lai Hao would best represent their characters.
Sean, who plays Lu-yung’s rival Chang Chien-yuan, picked stinky tofu.
“If I had to choose a food that represents my character, I would pick stinky tofu. It has a firm crust on the outside, but the inside is super soft, like pudding. That’s just like him — he hides his insecurity behind a wall of arrogance.”
Akira, who plays Jin Lai Hao waiter Lin Chin-nan, chose one of Taiwan’s best-known comfort foods.
“I would choose braised pork rice because it represents the most authentic taste of Taiwan.”
Cosmos, whose Ma Yu-li is a chef, likened the entire journey of “Fired Up!” to three-cup chicken.
“I choose three-cup chicken because to prepare the dish, it requires three specific stages,” she explained.
“First, you add all the different seasonings, which feels like the beginning of our story when every actor and character joins the dish. Each one is essential.
“Next, when the chicken is stir-fried over high heat, the delicious aroma represents the plot moving forward — it lets each character’s story unfold and creates that ‘fired up’ energy.
“Finally, when you get to eat the dish, it’s like seeing everyone’s story come together and watching all our problems get resolved. It’s deeply satisfying, which is exactly what ‘Fired Up!’ hopes to leave the audience with in the end,” she said.
What gets them ‘fired up’
Off camera, the stars also shared what gets them personally “fired up.”
Angela said such a feeling comes from sharing an achievement with her team.
“I feel most fired up when I get to celebrate a success with the team that we built all together.”
Eric, on the other hand, said it’s when he’s confronted with a challenge that gets people talking.
“I feel most fired up when I face a challenge that’s bound to get everyone talking — good or bad,” he said.
Both Shao and Ben said it is learning something new.
“I think learning new things is what gets me most fired up,” Shao said.
Ben readily agreed: “Same here. When I get to take on something I don’t know how to do yet, learn through the process, and finally master it — that sense of achievement is what fires me up.”
Sean, who described himself as a sports guy, gets the same feeling from physical challenges.
“What fires me up is learning new sports techniques. I’m a total sports guy and love trying different activities, so that’s what really gets me excited.”
Akira connected the question to the series’ theme of turning hardship into motivation.
“Whenever I hit setbacks in life, I use them to push myself and keep going. It’s just like Jin Lai Hao — facing countless setbacks, but growing, improving and becoming braver with every challenge, just like Chou Lu-yung.”
For Cosmos, being “fired up” comes down to friendship and having people who will stand with you through your struggles.
“When you’re facing tough times, knowing everyone is there to lift you up is everything,” she said.
“To me, being ‘fired up’ means that even when you feel alone, you’re actually fine, because you have a group of friends standing right behind you.”
(“Fired Up!” is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes dropping every Friday.)
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