Asian network KC Global Media has announced the world premiere of Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail, an original multimedia production commissioned by the Hakka Affairs Council in Taiwan. The one-hour docutainment special chronicles the Hakka link with some of Taiwan’s most iconic exports and explore their cultural and industrial connections to the rest of the world.
Hosted by British photographer Chris Stowers and Taiwanese food and travel writer, Danny Wen Shi-Kai, the special takes viewers through Danny’s ancestral family’s journey through the forgotten paths of the Raknus Selu Trail, Taiwan's first long-distance trail network. In exploring the trail, which is 200 km long and covers the Taiwanese cities of Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli and Taichung, they uncover Hakka heritage, and reveal the culture’s impact on modern Taiwan.
Highlights of the docutainment special include visits to the iconic Sankeng Old Street in Taoyuan, a repository of Hakka culture and architecture; the starting point of the Raknus Selu Trail, which was used for transporting tea to the port; the Taiwan Black Tea company; the Lo Family House, traditional architecture which used to house early Hakka immigrants; and the Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association (TMI), which preserves Taiwan’s hiking trails.
Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail will also be featured as a four-part podcast series, hosted by Stowers and Wen. Guests include Radio DJ Andrew Zhan from Singapore’s UFM100.3 and Radio DJ Joseph Lin from Taiwan’s ICRT FM100.
Episode 1 will feature Stowers and Wen sharing their experiences behind the scenes of the video, and what they learnt in their journey. In episode 2, the podcast covers the Hakka history and culture, with Wen sharing stories about his childhood. Episode 3 will discuss food, including some popular Hakka dishes, while episode 4 will explore the interesting flora and fauna found on the trail.
Derek Wong, VP & Head for Production & Creative for KC Global Media said, “Through this 'docutainment' special, we offer a wholistic learning experience which combines the elements of documentary film with an entertainment edge for our Asian audiences through the visual, online and audio space. We look forward to producing more of such meaningful projects in the future.”
.png "Source: KC Global Media. Set in Taiwan, the docutainment special Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail will premiere across AXN’s various platforms, including their YouTube channel, from September 27.") |
| Source: KC Global Media. Set in Taiwan, the docutainment special Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail will premiere across AXN’s various platforms, including their YouTube channel, from September 27. |
Details
The series will premiere on AXN’s channel on September 27 across Asia and will see a worldwide release on AXN Asia’s YouTube channel on September 28. The complementary four-part podcast series with the same title will air on September 27 across leading audio streaming platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Podcast, SPH Radio’s AWEDIO app, Astro Radio’s SYOK app, and International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT) Radio’s app.
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