‘Itaewon Class’ Remake ‘Fired Up’ Sets Taiwan Cast for DaMou, KOKO and HBO Asia

Taiwanese production companies DaMou Entertainment and KOKO Entertainment unveiled a starry local cast for “Fired Up,” their Taiwan remake of hit Korean series “Itaewon Class.”

At an event held within the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) on Thursday, the two companies also confirmed plans for a second season of “The World Between Us,” a 2019 drama series that premiered on Taiwan’s Public Television Service and regional streamer Catchplay.

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“Fired Up” will star Mandarin-language pop star Eric Chou, Golden Horse Film Award nominee Angela Yuen, Shao Yu-wei, Huang Guan-zhi, Cosmos Lin, Ben Wu and Sean Lin in leading roles. The show is co-directed by kao Pin-chuan and Tseng Ying-ting, working from a script headed by Chien Li-ying (“Wave Makers”).

“Itaewon Class” is a story about an ex-convict who sets up his own business after release from jail. His attempts, not always successful, drag in friends and family. It was originally a Korean-language webtoon and was subsequently adapted as a TV series in 2020 that broadcast locally on JTBC and streamed worldwide on Netflix.

The Taiwanese TV production will also involve Korea’s Kakao Webtoon and be presented as an HBO Asia Original. Production begins next month.

Contemporary socio-political series “The World Between Us” followed events in the aftermath of a mass shooting at a movie theatre. It played on Taiwan PBS, Catchplay and HBO Asia.

With a screenplay by Lu Shi-yuan and production also beginning in December, the second season stars Golden Bell-winning actor Vic Chou portraying a widower psychiatrist, Simon Hsueh portraying a legislator, Nikki Hsieh, Yang Kuei Mei and Sara Yu.

It is described as a “story that spans three different time frames, a complex and extensive narrative, touching the subjects of public health, law, politics and mental illness.” It has some 18 main characters, 30 supporting characters and more than 100 speaking parts.

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