Based on Chen Tseng-chih’s 2017 book "Hotel Saltwater: Tai Chen-yao’s Revolutionary Youth", "Hotel Saltwater" (鹽水大飯店) is about an agricultural reform activist in the 1970s, when Taiwan was under martial law. The 2024 prime-time period drama was produced by PTS for Taigi TV. The TV series won the ContentAsia Award 2025 for Best Book-to-TV Adaptation Made in Asia. We spoke to director Cheng Wen-tang about the series...  

What attracted you to this story? I’ll say it’s Mr. Tai (Tai, Chen-Yao, 戴振耀), the real-life inspiration from the original story. He and his friends used to fight not only for democracy but also for their aspirations in life. Although their fighting process was laden with obstacles and oppression, their dedication moved me deeply. Besides, their love stories are so romantic and filled with charming details. This is what attracted me most to this story.  

Taiwan has produced a wave of politically themed dramas in recent years. Where does Hotel Saltwater sit within that broader creative movement? The creative team behind Hotel Saltwater aimed to fulfill our duty as Taiwanese citizens by telling unique stories of Taiwan. We did so to capture the spirit of our pioneers who fought for Taiwanese democratisation with determination and courage. 

Was the TV series conceived primarily for a domestic audience or with international viewers in mind? Our ambition is to internationalise local stories. This series features a captivating ensemble cast. Elements such as romance tested by hardship and moral complexities of surviving and friendship betrayal, are all universal themes that are relatable to global audiences. 

The series revisits Taiwan’s martial law era. What responsibility did you feel in dramatising such a politically sensitive and still resonant period of history? Our core creative philosophy is to depict the social and political landscape of this significant era through the lens of vivid characters and storytelling. 

Has audience response differed generationally? Based on the feedback from the majority of our viewers, audiences seemed to respond to this series without generational differences. 

How did you balance historical authenticity with the need to create an emotionally accessible narrative for contemporary audiences? While remaining faithful to the historical timeline and events, we focused on crafting compelling human conflicts as well as creating charismatic protagonists. 

What was the commissioning process? Was this project platform-driven, broadcaster-led, or developed independently before attaching partners? The creative team and the TV station co-developed this project. 

How did you structure financing, and what role did public funding or platform partnerships play? The series is a co-production by three entities, with Taigi TV Station (Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation) serving as the primary financier. 

What were the biggest production challenges in recreating 1970s Taiwan? We developed this series in a climate of creative freedom. Basically, everything went pretty well, thanks to our exceptional cast and the professional linguistic support from the TV station. The greatest challenge was location-scouting and reconstructing the sets. 

Looking forward, do you see Taiwanese historical storytelling becoming more globally exportable? And what do you think needs to happen structurally for that to scale? We believe the priority is to establish professional, large-scale studios.