Formosa Dream Chasers

In the second part of our conversation, animation director and founder of Aco Creative, Aco Chang (張吾青) shares her motivation for founding her company and details the challenges and triumphs she faced along the way. From gaining international recognition and earning awards to establishing herself as an independent animator, Aco’s story is one of resilience and creative determination. She...

On today's episode of Formosa Dream Chasers hosts Mary Anne Sioco and Ching-en Chiou chat with animation director and founder of Aco Creative, Aco Chang (張吾青). A Royal College of Art graduate with a passion for storytelling, Aco has made waves in the animation world, blending her talents in illustration and game art with her creative vision. Her acclaimed works, such as My Grandmother is a...

Previously, our hosts Mary Anne and Ching-en chatted with Imelda Ching, a new immigrant entrepreneur who has successfully run her Filipino restaurant in Taipei’s “Little Manila” for 28 years. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, her business not only survived but thrived, thanks to her resilience and the support and measures from Taiwan’s governm...

In today's episode, we continue our conversation with Imelda Ching, owner of Filipino restaurant CresArt located in Taipei. Imelda opens up about how her connection to cooking started, how she started the business and what were the difficulties when she first started. Imelda also reveals what sets Filipino cuisine apart, offering a deeper insight into the flavors and traditions...

Having lived in Taiwan since 1986, Imelda Ching, a Filipino restaurant owner in Taipei, shares her inspiring journey on Formosa Dream Chasers on how she started working and living in Taiwan - adapting to Taiwanese society, helping other foreign spouses and later establishing her business, CresArt, to offer authentic Filipino cuisine to both Taiwanese and Filipinos in Taipei.

Daphne Lo is a certified BASI Pilates instructor and the founder of her own studio located in her parents' hometown in eastern Taiwan. Born into a Taiwanese migrant family and raised in South Africa, Daphne's upbringing shaped her perspective on life. In this interview, she shares her unique experiences living in South Africa and the journey that eventually led her back to Taiwan. To learn mo...

How far would you go to chase your dreams? Would you risk everything—even your life—for a chance at a better future? In this episode, Formosa Dream Chasers speaks with Choi Jae-hoon, a North Korean Issues Officer, and Jo Eun-sil, a North Korean defector, about Amnesty International South Korea's latest report. Together, they explore the harrowing experiences of defectors who escaped an...

In today's episode, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish shares how the loss of his daughters inspired his fight for human rights and led to the creation of the Daughters for Life Foundation, which empowers women of all backgrounds through education to create a better world. Understanding the struggles of life rooted in his personal journey, he offers a message of hope for all listeners and urges the inter...

As Formosa Dream Chasers continue to put a spotlight on theTaiwan International Human Rights Film Festival, Mary Anne and Ching-en sit down with five-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Palestinian human rights activist Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish whose life is featured in the documentary " I Shall Not Hate" by Director Tal Barda. Dr. Izzeldin talks about the beginnings of his life in Palestine, ...

Since 2017, the Taiwan International Human Rights Film Festival, organized by the Cultural Ministry’s National Human Rights Museum, has been a significant annual event. This year, it was held at Taipei’s SPOT cinema at the end of September. Formosa Dream Chasers had the privilege of speaking with Director Tal Barda, whose documentary " I Shall Not Hate " is featured in the festiva...

As we continue our conversation with Arden, he shares how he landed his first technical writing job in Taiwan and describes the application process. He also discusses the stepping stones he took and the differences between working in the tech industry and traditional Taiwanese work culture. Before the episode ends, he offers valuable advice on job searching and cultivating a mindset that enhances...

Shortly after arriving in this country, Arden Lim faced significant challenges in finding his footing and advancing his career. He shares his experiences undergoing the alternative civilian service system and how he explored different job positions in search of a way to settle into life in Taiwan. Join us in our chat with Mr. Arden Lim to gain insight from his experiences of moving and f...

While we’re sure most of us have felt, at one time or another, the sense of being stuck in our jobs or lacking purpose and direction in our work, the big question is: what did you do about it? Would you have taken a chance, stepped out of your comfort zone, and taken a huge risk like our guest for this episode did? Mr. Arden Lim had a fulfilling career in training and development, working fo...

In the final part of our interview, Tristan gets up close and personal. She opens up about the challenges that social media creators face, many of which are rarely discussed. She also shares one of the Taiwanese covers she did - “Wordless Love Letter” by Huang Yee-ling  and discusses upcoming plans to release a Taiwanese song she wrote! Be sure to listen in as...

From a social media influencer to becoming a singer-songwriter in Taigi (the Taiwanese language), Tristan Hilderbrand (崔璀璨) shares that she was told that Taigi was considered a low-class language when she first came to Taiwan. In this episode, we learn how Tristan transitioned to gaining recognition for her Taiwanese covers, the kind of effort it takes to become a successful soci...

Tristan Hilderbrand (崔璀璨) is a multitalented, multilingual singer-songwriter and social media influencer beloved by the Taiwanese public for her Taiwanese song covers and videos about life in Taiwan. With over 277,000 subscribers on YouTube, 83,000 followers on Instagram, and 40,000 on Facebook, Formosa Dream Chasers speaks with Tristan to explore how she first discovered Taiwan and what inspir...

Building on the inspiring stories of Taiwanese Olympic athletes from our previous episode, this week we turn the spotlight on two extraordinary women who have triumphed over remarkable challenges to achieve success on the global sports stage. Taiwan's female boxers, Lin Yu-ting and Chen Nien-chin, have faced formidable obstacles including domestic violence, racism, and gender discrimination in a p...

In this special episode dedicated to the Paris Olympics, the hosts spotlight the remarkable journey of Joey Tseng, who has steadily advanced toward the Olympic Games. They also unveil the unexpected return of the legendary Celine Dion to the stage at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Through dedication, perseverance, and resilience, dreams take on many forms and stand the test of time. Tune in...

Working as a music marketer for over a decade, Rhea Leorag is an industry insider who knows what it really takes for music artists to get recognized in such a competitive market. In this episode, she shares what she loves the most about her work and also practical advice for aspiring music artists or those looking to work in the music industry. A must-listen if you are a singer-songwriter and/or a...

If you love music but don't quite want to become a musician, did you know that you can consider doing other types of work within the music industry? Meet Rhea Leorag, who works as a music marketer promoting musicians and bands. Find out how she ended up with this job and what it's like to support music artists in their journey to becoming recognized artists, here at Formosa Dream Ch...

In the previous episode, Ben (Wei-min) Tseng introduced us to the Rti Academy and explained the work they’ve done since its establishment in January. In this week’s program, he will share the exciting developments of the unit and future plans and programs to be offered.  

Setting a goal for your life or career is essential for future growth, but achieving that goal becomes even more challenging without a solid foundation to support your aspirations. This week’s program takes a unique turn from our usual episodes. Mary Anne and Ching-en are joined by Ben (Wei-min) Tseng from Rti Academy for an insightful discussion. Discover how the Rti Academy's curriculum ca...

Switching careers can be unsettling...but what if you not only switched careers right out of retirement and started a whole new business completely different from what you were used to? That's what Jeanne Chen and her sisters ended up doing. Despite having a stable career as an accountant, Jeanne found herself pursuing her dream of opening a sweet shop which she named 'Candyhouse'. Join Mary...

In the last part of our conversation with EX-Theatre Asia Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Mr. Chongtham Jayanta Meetei, he not only gives his observations about the theater production industry in Taiwan, but also shares his philosophy which he uses as a guiding principle for most of his life.  Don't forget to tune in to learn from his wisdom and valuable insights!  

In this episode, Mr. Chongtham recounts the unexpected twists and turns in his journey which takes him from his home in India, to meeting his partner in Singapore then to settling down in Taiwan. In the process, he also shares with hosts Mary Anne and Ching-en his vision for co-founding EX-Theatre Asia and what makes their theater production company unique from other companies.