
#SHOWBIZ: Taiwanese TV host Wang Hao-Yi dies, 5 days after his mother
According to Taiwanese media reports, Wang was best known as the co-host of Slow Travel Adventures, a travel programme that explored Taiwan's landscapes and traditions.
The series earned critical acclaim, winning the Golden Bell Award for Best Lifestyle Show Hosts in 2023.
Wang's co-host, Liu Ke-Hsiang, expressed his grief in a Facebook post, saying he was "shocked by the sudden news."
He wrote, "Thinking of the two of us filming together – from Feb 25, 2014 until now – we travelled across Taiwan and explored countless local customs."
Liu added, "Thanks to his wit and humour, we were able to try many new things with the series. He will be sadly missed."
According to China Press, Wang had been experiencing heart issues recently and was recuperating.
In his post, Liu shared that Wang's brother told him Wang had been driving when he began to feel unwell.
"He pulled over by the roadside – and never recovered," Liu said.
The news has stunned fans, especially given the timing.
On June 24, Wang had posted on Facebook to announce the passing of his 91-year-old mother and shared that his family was preparing funeral arrangements.
Many fans have taken to social media to offer condolences to Wang's family members.

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New Straits Times
15 hours ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Taiwanese TV host Wang Hao-Yi dies, 5 days after his mother
TAIPEI: Award-winning Taiwanese host and author Wang Hao-Yi passed away on June 29 at the age of 68. According to Taiwanese media reports, Wang was best known as the co-host of Slow Travel Adventures, a travel programme that explored Taiwan's landscapes and traditions. The series earned critical acclaim, winning the Golden Bell Award for Best Lifestyle Show Hosts in 2023. Wang's co-host, Liu Ke-Hsiang, expressed his grief in a Facebook post, saying he was "shocked by the sudden news." He wrote, "Thinking of the two of us filming together – from Feb 25, 2014 until now – we travelled across Taiwan and explored countless local customs." Liu added, "Thanks to his wit and humour, we were able to try many new things with the series. He will be sadly missed." According to China Press, Wang had been experiencing heart issues recently and was recuperating. In his post, Liu shared that Wang's brother told him Wang had been driving when he began to feel unwell. "He pulled over by the roadside – and never recovered," Liu said. The news has stunned fans, especially given the timing. On June 24, Wang had posted on Facebook to announce the passing of his 91-year-old mother and shared that his family was preparing funeral arrangements. Many fans have taken to social media to offer condolences to Wang's family members.


The Sun
18 hours ago
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Fueled by robust demand for the doll, Pop Mart's revenue soared by 165 to 170 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025. Together with various successful Chinese IPs such as the movie "Ne Zha 2" and the video game "Black Myth: Wukong," Labubu has exemplified a burgeoning trend in China: the transformation of culture and creativity, bolstered by cutting-edge technology, into business opportunities across a diverse range of sectors. TECH-DRIVEN CULTURAL RENAISSANCE With a history spanning over 5,000 years, China boasts a wealth of cultural treasures. However, revitalising traditional culture in a modern way that appeals to younger generations, who are becoming a major consumer group, remains a challenging task. Thanks to its innovation-driven development strategy and impressive technological advancements, China has blazed a new trail for cultural revival: transforming cultural classics into IPs with the help of advanced technologies. The transformation, according to Wang Linsheng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, cannot be completed by merely copying ideas and concepts or presenting classics in a digital way. Rather, it is a process of reimagining cultural classics to breathe new life into these timeless treasures. "Supported by digital technology, China is combining cultural classics with modern ways of IP management, in a bid to transform traditional elements into products in line with the latest aesthetic trends and consumer demands," Wang said. A case resonating with Wang's remarks is "Black Myth: Wukong," a game inspired by the classic Chinese literary masterpiece "Journey to the West." While unfolding the legendary adventures of Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, the game utilises a range of advanced visual technologies to provide lifelike scenes and immersive experiences for players of all cultural backgrounds. Through its technological reimagining of a classic Chinese story, the game has transcended cultural boundaries and become a global hit. On its official release day, "Black Myth: Wukong" climbed to the top of the charts on Steam, the world's largest gaming platform, and has dominated many other gaming markets worldwide ever since. Commenting on how technologies are fueling China's ongoing IP boom, Chen Gang, an analyst with Soochow Securities, noted that cutting-edge technologies such as 5G and cloud rendering are helping the country overcome the temporal and spatial limitations of traditional communication methods, thereby enabling Chinese cultural and entertainment products to reach a wider audience. In recent years, culture-related sectors have emerged as a robust catalyst for China's economic growth. 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Already the highest-grossing film in Chinese history, "Ne Zha 2" is creating a ripple effect across a wide range of sectors. To date, more than 10 types of derivative products related to the movie have been planned and launched. Earlier this year, Pop Mart launched a series of Ne Zha-themed blind box toys in its Tmall store, a major Chinese online shopping platform. Just eight days after its release, the series had generated over 10 million yuan in sales, becoming one of the most sought-after toy collections at the time. Additionally, other related merchandise, such as collectible cards and plush toys, has also gained significant popularity. By promoting industry integration centred on original IPs, China is well-positioned to establish a complete industrial chain that spans online literature, film and television, gaming, and derivative products, said Hong Tao, vice chairman of the China Consumer Economics Society. "This full industrial chain development model can expand the application scenarios of intellectual properties and help bridge the virtual world and reality, thereby generating more business value and economic benefits," Hong said. To this end, analysts have suggested that the country should facilitate the alignment of all segments of the industrial chain. This can be achieved by integrating independent IPs and developing them in a systematic and coordinated manner. "Chinese IPs can draw experience from the Marvel universe, which brings together various superheroes in one unified narrative framework," said Chen, adding that the growth model of the American pop culture icon has shown a way to enhance the linkage and coordination among different IPs. Looking ahead, Wei Pengju, a scholar at the Central University of Finance and Economics, said that China should embrace global cooperation in the development of its original IPs. "By doing so, the country can fully leverage its IP resources and establish an international IP framework that integrates both cultural and economic values," Wei added. - China Daily/ANN