GrX Studio is aiming for international growth to match its leading role in Taiwan’s film and television production sector.
During a dynamic event on Monday at the Busan International Film Festival, the company announced plans to invest approximately $45 million over the next five years. This investment will fund the production of 15 Mandarin-language series and five horror films through a new initiative.
The launch showcased a lineup of current projects from GrX, previously known as Greener Grass Productions. The studio is recognized for its successful series “Copycat Killer,” which has gained popularity on Netflix.
Among the notable attendees were Taiwanese actor Ning Chang and Vietnamese actor Lien Binh Phat, who starred in “The Outlaw Doctor,” a crime series currently in post-production. This project was co-produced with Public Television Service Foundation (PTS) and Chunghwa Telecom (CHT). Additionally, Korean celebrity Jinyoung and Taiwanese actress Moon Lee featured in “The Photo from 1977,” a romance film supported by the Hakka Affairs Council, with script development aided by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) and part-funded by the Hakka Public Communication Foundation.
Other confirmed projects include the horror film “Trapped in Yellow,” a boys’ love (BL) feature titled “Wild With You” produced by Golden Bell Awards-winning producer Phoebe Ma, and the thriller series “The Ones I Killed and the Ones Who Killed Me,” which is based on a popular novel by Akira Higashiyama.
GrX Studio is also developing a historical series called “KOHAKU: The Traitor of the Night,” directed by Lien Yi-chi and Kentaro Hagiwara. This show will consist of eight 45-minute episodes exploring themes of reconstruction and future possibilities for humanity. If successful, GrX plans to extend it for three seasons.
Additionally, GrX will distribute a reality food show titled “Go! Go! Michelin” and manage international distribution for a newly launched Taiwanese-K-pop variety show called “SCOOL.”
The $45 million funding initiative, named ‘Asia Spring,’ aims to strengthen both GrX’s and Taiwan’s status as an emerging hub for Asian co-productions. “Through this initiative, we hope to invite exceptional filmmakers from various countries and regions to collaborate with us,” said Dennis Wu, strategy and chief investment officer.
Taiwanese companies are experiencing a resurgence as key players in Chinese-language productions across Asia, particularly as many firms from mainland China and Hong Kong shift their focus, while international streamers face operational challenges in mainland markets.
Wu emphasized that the current slate of projects focuses on themes of comfort, exhilaration, and subversion. He noted that GrX Studio has established networks in Taiwan, mainland China, and Singapore, but now needs to enhance and stabilize its distribution channels.
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