
Back to All News
In Star-Studded Light the Night', a Unique Taipei Subculture Comes Alive
Entertainment
21 November 2021
GlobalTaiwanSingaporeMalaysiaHong Kong
The year is 1988, and everything is big - the shoulder pads, the perms, and earrings the size of door knockers. In Light the Night, producer and star Ruby Lin leads an A-list creative team in telling a story that revolves around the hostesses of a popular nightclub and their paramours, whose entanglements turn out to be just as dramatic as the vintage fashion they sport.
Launching globally on November 26, with the first two episodes screened at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival today, Netflix's latest Chinese-language release spared no expense when it came to re-creating a distinct nightlife subculture and the period details of 1980s Taipei. The 24-episode Light the Night features a star-studded cast, extravagant sets and more than a thousand costumes.
The show's setting may be a throwback but it is by no means old-fashioned in its storytelling. Helmed by director Yichi Lien and written by award-winning scribe Cheng Che Tu, Light the Night was developed over four years and is a unique genre mash-up of a murder mystery thriller and an emotionally intense drama.
I was given the script of Light the Night before the series went into production, and I fell in love with it instantly, says Jerry Zhang, Manager, Content, Netflix, who remembers finishing reading all 24 episodes in just a few hours. I was drawn to the suspense of the murder mystery, and also fascinated by each character's backstory.
Besides Lin, who plays mama-san Rose, the series also features Cheryl Yang, Yo Yang, Rhydian Vaughan and Derek Chang. Each actor achieved a breakthrough in their performance, Lin believes. With the luxury of telling our story over 24 episodes with such a large cast, we were able to fully satisfy our creative vision, says Lien.
In the series, which will be released in three parts of eight episodes each, the neighborhood of Tiaotong is almost like another character in the series. In the early 20th century, this was a residential neighborhood for the Japanese elite in Taipei, and it retained its Japanese character even after World War II, becoming the favorite haunt of Japanese businessmen from the 1960s as it evolved into a nightlife hotspot complete with a red-light district. Even today, Tiaotong's bars, restaurants, karaoke lounges and nightclubs have an authentic Japanese flavor that continues to draw tourists and locals.
I'm really happy that Light the Night will be released via Netflix in 190 countries and territories, says Lin. Through this series, we hope to introduce audiences all over the world to this Taiwanese subculture.
Its a very local story set in 1980s Taipei, Zhang adds. But the humanity of the story is universal. This further proves Netflixs belief how local content can travel the world.
Netflix has rolled out a slate of exclusive Chinese-language shows, including More than Blue: The Series, Zero to Hero and Upcoming Summer, as well as the to-be-released Mom, Dont Do That!.
There is a big appetite for Chinese-language content and our goal is to find the best stories for these audiences, and bring them joy, says Zhang. We value the creativity of our partners and talent in Taiwan who produce this content for us, and we want to make Netflix a home for them to strive for creative excellence. I think Light the Night is a great testament to all of that.
See more photos from the press conference and screening here.
Light the Night is available from Nov. 26.
More from Netflix
07/01/2026
Back to All News
The Trailer of Paparazzi King: The 5-Episode Docuseries Coming...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Supports Warner Bros. Discovery Board's Commitment...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
What Next? Netflix Reveals Series, Films and Games Coming in 2026
Entertainment
07 January 2026
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Download ...
06/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils Its New Year Rom-Com of 2026, No Tail To Tell,...
06/01/2026
Back to All News
The Wait is Finally Over... Museum of Innocence Premiering on ...
05/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Released the Trailer of To Love, to Lose Set to Premie...
05/01/2026
Back to All News
Can This Love Be Translated?' Main Trailer Presents a Hea...
04/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Renews Breakout Family Favorite Single Papa for Season 2
Entertainment
04 January 2026
GlobalIndia
Link copied to clipboard
After...
04/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Renews Breakout Family Favorite Single Papa for Season...
31/12/2025
Back to All News
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-V...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things By the Numbers: How the Global Phenomenon Shap...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
How Steamy Can It Get? Single's Inferno' Season 5 Pre...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
33 Million Global Viewers on Netflix Watched Jake Paul vs. Ant...
22/12/2025
Back to All News
Global Anime Hits and New Releases Take Center Stage at Jump Festa 2026
Entertainment
22 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied to clipboar...
21/12/2025
Back to All News
Legoshi and Haru's Story Reaches Its Finale: BEASTARS Fin...
19/12/2025
Back to All News
Salvador Arrives to Netflix on February 6
Entertainment
19 December 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
WHEN THERE IS NOTHING LEFT ...
19/12/2025
Back to All News
Salvador arrives to Netflix on February 6
Entertainment
19 December 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
WHEN THERE IS NOTHING LEFT ...
19/12/2025
Back to All News
Last Samurai Standing' Renewed for Season 2 - A Global Se...
18/12/2025
Back to All News
Dynamite Kiss' Nears Its Final Episode, Leaving Ji-hyeok ...
18/12/2025
Back to All News
Teaser for Can This Love Be Translated' Previews a Heartw...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Inside the Unseen World of Indian Customs: Netflix Reveals the...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Announces Paparazzi King: The Docuseries Coming to Net...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Inside The Unseen World Of Indian Customs: Netflix Reveals The...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix announces PAPARAZZI KING: the docu series coming to Ne...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils First Look at Jo Nesbo's Detective Hole Pr...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Welcomes Warner Bros. Discovery Board Recommendation
Business
17 December 2025
Global
Link copied to clipboard
After Careful Revi...
16/12/2025
Back to All News
Emma Appleton, Fares Fares, Frida Gustavsson and Jakob Oftebro...
16/12/2025
Back to All News
Docu-reality My Korean Boyfriend Gets a Trailer and Premiere D...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
The Teaser Trailer and the Key Art of Motorvalley, the New Ser...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
Trailer for the Fourth Season of Alpha Males
Entertainment
11 December 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
DERECONSTRUCT OR DIE
Do...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
Meet the Most Relatable Hero This Holiday: Main Trailer and Po...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
High Tides: Netflix Shares Release Date Final Season
Credit: Netflix / Thomas Nolf
Entertainment
11 December 2025
GlobalNetherlandsBelgium...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
Made in Texas: How Netflix House Dallas Is Leaving a Lasting Footprint
From left to right: America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerl...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
The Second Part of One Hundred Years of Solitude Will Arrive i...
10/12/2025
Back to All News
2026 Starts With a Swoon: Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung Lead C...
10/12/2025
Back to All News
Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine Arrives to Netflix on May 15
Entertainment
10 December 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
THE N...
09/12/2025
Back to All News
In a Landmark Event, Netflix Celebrates the Strength of Brazil...
08/12/2025
Back to All News
Salvador, Starring Luis Tosar and Claudia Salas, Will Arrive o...
08/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix ISP Speed Index for November 2025
Product
08 December 2025
Global
Link copied to clipboard
This month marks 15 years of the Netfl...
08/12/2025
Back to All News
Another Exciting Chapter in Our Book-to-Screen Journey and What's to Come
Entertainment
08 December 2025
Global
Link copied to clipboa...
07/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Takes Over the Oslo Skyline With Celebratory Troll 2 L...
05/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the First Look for Land of Sin' - Premier...
05/12/2025
Back to All News
Don Lee, Lee Jin-uk, and Lalisa Manobal to Star in Netflix Act...