“Hakka culture is not mainly about grand buildings or eye-catching symbols. It's not only about history and festivals. Instead, it lives quietly in everyday life, in our food, our language and our family relationships.”

Characterized by their hospitality and distinctive food culture, the Hakka (客家) are one of Taiwan’s major ethnic groups, comprising about 20 percent of the population. Over the years, however, the Hakka language has experienced a sharp decline in everyday use. Hakka TV (客家電視), a public media platform, leverages creative programming to foster appreciation of Hakka culture while working to revive this beautiful language. Today, it is also expanding its reach to engage a broader international audience.

In the first episode of Taiwan Salon Season 5, GTI Communications Associate Yuchen Lee interviews Paul Shiang (向盛言), Director of Hakka TV, and I-Li Lo (羅亦娌), Program Manager of Hakka TV. Through various TV programs, their work not only sheds light on the vibrant Hakka culture, but also engages in a dialogue with the broader world through their unique Hakka perspectives.

Useful links

• Hakka TV website: https://www.hakkatv.org.tw/
• The trailer of Black Tide Island: https://youtu.be/FNxWjoJgPKI?si=9C8DJ24SL-fNHUei
• The trailer of Gold Leaf: https://youtu.be/7ysn_oBRv_w?si=2RatZkQVbqgqoh82
• TV Program Octopus News special series on the Russo-Ukraine War: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDS7YdawwCI