TaiwanPlus x ICRT

There are many people working hard to introduce Taiwan's splendor to the rest of the world... And one of those people is Lukas Engstrom, a Swedish YouTuber here in Taiwan, who has collaborated with various content creators all over the island. In Trevor's final interview, he chats with Lukas about his prolific video production strategies, and what has appealed to his audiences so far.

What's it like to be born in Japan, raised in Australia, but with roots in Taiwan? As a child of multicultural backgrounds, Jaguar Jonze was almost chosen to represent Australia in 2022's Eurovision Song Contest. This week, Joey speaks with the Australian-Taiwanese singer-songwriter about what it's like to be a stinky tofu lover growing up in vegemite country.

How has Taiwan's media landscape grown together with international culture? Rifat, also known as §d»ñ (Wu Feng), is a veteran host, comedian, and TV personality in Taiwan, and the first foreigner to win the coveted Golden Bell Award, in 2012. In this episode, Trevor chats with Rifat about his experiences as a bridge between Taiwan and his home country of Turkey, as well as his recent collaboration with TaiwanPlus.

Do you like your dinner aromatic and delicious, or shocking and surprising? Before you answer, let Master Chef contestant, Jason Wang, tell you all about the story behind each dish in his new Taiwanese culinary show "Jason's Table". This week, the former opera singer and music teacher shares his passion for connecting with over traditional foods.

Where did the sudden explosion of standup comedy culture in Taiwan come from, and where is it going? This week, Trevor chats with Sam Yarbs, the cofounder of Taipei's popular Two Three Comedy Club, about his work on The Night Night Show (³Õ®¦©]©]¨q), comedy across the language barrier, and the future of standup in Taiwan.

What does an opera singer sound like when she goes pop? What if she also has her own podcast? If you are intrigued, meet Janice Yen, a classically-trained singer raised by composers and traditional instrumentalists who wow'ed Taiwan's Mandopop industry when she appeared on the singing competition show "Top Million Star".

Where is the "old capital" of Mandopop? What are some of the new chanllenges facing aritst and record labels today? This week, Joey catches up with singer-turned-label-manager and father-of-two, Victor Lau, to talk about the how Taiwan's music industry has changed over the years and how to allow room for creativity in the presence of big-data.

Do you get bitten by mosquitoes more than your friends do? Are you allergic to silkworms? And why are insects disappearing at such an alarming rate? As an NTU professor of Entomology (the study of insects) Matan Shelomi addresses these questions and more. In today's episode, host Trevor joins Matan for a fascinating trip through the world of insects!

How many different ways can a person perform? Stephen Rong is a renaissance man of talent, as an actor, singer, dancer, model, podcaster, and radio DJ. This week, Trevor chats with Stephen about his role in the acapella group "Awkwapella", and its stark contrast with his murder-mystery podcast, ¡i·t¶Â´ËªL¡j.

"Je Me Souviens" is the motto of Quebec, Canada, where Sophie Chen calls home. In English, it means "I remember". This week, Joey asks Sophie to remember her upbringing in Montreal and her multiple appearances in large-scale singing competition shows such as "The Voice of China" and "Jungle Voice 3" (Taiwan).

What is it like being a Taiwanese filmmaker abroad? This week, Trevor chats with Isabella Tan, a young director who grew up in Taiwan and Malaysia, and is forging her own path in the U.S. Isabella talks about her experiences in the film industry, as well as Asian and female representation in front of and behind the cameras.

Taiwan may not be a "cultural melting pot" per se, but it certainly is home to many long-stay visitors from around the world. Some are employed via working visas. Some started businesses ventures. Some even became local celebrities. Dooley Candler, an American performer and entrepreneur from Phoenix, Arizona, has done all of the above. This is his story.

Not only has Quincy Davis played basketball for Taiwan's national team... but he has also become a Taiwanese citizen! This week, speaks with Quincy about becoming a citizen, playing basketball for Taiwan around the world, and inspiring the younger generations of Taiwan to try their hands and feet at sports.

We live in the age of slashies, and Dena Chang is the epitome of this phenomenon. She trained as a nurse, became a teacher, succeeded as a YouTuber and released music as a singer-songwriter. This week, Joey speaks with Dena about how she turns her experience with cancer patients into beautiful melodies that heals the soul.

In a world where almost anyone can make a movie, how do we decide which stories to tell? This week, Trevor chats with Tobie Openshaw, a filmmaker, photographer, and advocate for Taiwan's next generation of visual storytellers. Tobie has a lot to say about his work with Taiwan's indigenous stories, his experiences documenting the Sunflower Movement in 2014, and the hurdles that young filmmakers have to overcome in getting their work into the world.

As Taiwan calabrates lunar new year and turns over a new leaf, what are some of our proudest moments in 2021? This week, Joey speaks with 2nd Annual Doritos Taiwan Hip Hop Competition champ, Andersaucy, and his producer, Danny Chien, about how "That Taiwan Rap" came about and what it's like growing up as an ABT (American Born Taiwanese).

What are podcasts, and why are they recently becoming more popular in Taiwan? Well, it's partly thanks to Emily Wu, a co-founder of Ghost Island Media, one of Taiwan's most popular podcast networks! ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi chats with Emily about Ghost Island Media's first shows, her work in Taiwan's media industry, and the future of podcasts in Taiwan.

Is there an idea too crazy to be given a breath of life? For event organizer, MC and performer, Brandon Thompson, the answer is "never". This week, Joey speaks with the 15-year expat to Taiwan about the changes he's observed during his stay in Taiwan, and what are some of the fun ideas for events he's got coming out of left field.

How difficult is it to translate between languages in real time? Very difficult indeed! That's why Priya Lalwani-Purswaney, also known as §õ¬Ü§g, has such a unique perspective on the multiple languages and cultures with which she grew up. ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi speaks with Priya about her work as a simultaneous interpreter of Chinese, English, and Hindi, and her role as a cultural bridge between India and Taiwan.