Taipei: The 2025 Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) commenced in Taipei, marking the launch of two significant investment funds totaling over NT$1.5 billion (US$48.5 million). One of these funds involves a collaboration with South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM.
According to Focus Taiwan, the fund established by CJ ENM, in partnership with Taiwan's Far EasTone Telecommunications and TVBS, is named the Taiwan-Korea Entertainment and Cultural Content Fund. This fund aims to support co-productions between Taiwan and South Korea and their global releases, thereby enhancing Taiwan's entertainment industry's connectivity with international markets.
The second fund, the Far EasTone-Enjoy Entertainment Fund, was initiated in collaboration with the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) and Far EasTone. It is focused on investing in and promoting local film and television productions.
At a press conference announcing the funds, TAICCA Chair Sue Wang, who also serves as Taiwan's deputy culture minister, emphasized that these initiatives represent a significant milestone for Taiwan's film and television sector in terms of systematic investment and international collaboration. Wang expressed optimism that "Taiwan can learn from the South Korean companies' journey and the experience behind their success."
CJ ENM Executive Vice President Sean Cho highlighted that the Taiwan-Korea Entertainment and Cultural Content Fund underscores CJ ENM's belief in the potential of cooperation between Taiwan and South Korea to bring more exceptional works to the global stage.
Far EasTone President Ching Chee noted the company's decade-long expansion into the creative content business and its increased investment in production due to the rising challenges of content acquisition, particularly pointing out the dominance of Netflix as a major influence.
Now in its sixth year, the TCCF features pitching, market, and forum sections, establishing itself as one of Asia's premier creative industry events. It brings together global buyers and sellers to connect, collaborate, and explore new business opportunities.
At the event's opening ceremony, Wang announced that more than 700 works from 44 countries were submitted to the pitching section, highlighting the growing significance of the annual event. According to the TAICCA, the selected works will compete for 41 awards, offering a combined prize money of NT$10.1 million.
This year's fest showcases 118 institutions and organizations, featuring the return of the French Pavilion and the debut of the Korea Pavilion. Josu© Serres, head of the culture, science, and education department at the French Office in Taipei, noted that French companies are attracted to Taiwan due to local firms' ambition to produce original content, viewing them not merely as "service providers" but as "equal partners."
He further mentioned that major Taiwanese tech companies, including HTC and Chunghwa Telecom, are investing in related productions, offering expertise in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies.
The 2025 TCCF is being held at the Nangang International Exhibition Center and will run through Friday.