Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Taiwanese film ‘The Uniform’ brings back memories of youth
Actors Buffy Chen, left, and Chloe Xiang in a scene from Taiwanese film “The Uniform” / Courtesy of Studio Santa Claus Entertainment, Emu Films
By Baek Byung-yeul
A new Taiwanese film, “The Uniform,” is set to capture the hearts of Korean audiences with its poignant story of friendship and identity, evoking shared memories of academic pressure and competition that transcend time and borders.
Set in 1997, the teen romance film follows Ai (Buffy Chen), a student in a top-tier girl’s high school night class, which makes her feel like a “fake elite.” Her life changes when she befriends Min (Chloe Xiang), a seemingly perfect student in the day class who shares her desk.
Through a secret exchange of uniforms, Ai begins to experience a different world, blurring the lines between who she is and who she wants to be.
Director Chuang Ching-shen, who cowrote the screenplay with his wife, said he was drawn to the project because it mirrored his own experiences.
“The time period and the social atmosphere, entrance exams, academic stress and subtle family dynamics portrayed in the film are all things we actually felt as students,” he told Korean reporters after a press preview in Seoul on Thursday.
Producer David Tang noted that the film’s depiction of a day class and night class system reflects a time in Taiwan’s history when such a system was created to offer more educational opportunities. However, it also created a social divide.
“Day class students were seen as real students, while night class students were often perceived as fake,” Tang said. “I believe this story will deeply resonate with audiences in Korea.”
Tang added that academic pressure is a widespread issue across Asia.
“Students in Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and Korea all face immense stress to get into good schools,” he said. “They study with a do-or-die attitude to enter so-called prestigious colleges. I’ve heard that Korean students also experience a lot of academic stress, so I’m confident this film will be relatable.”
From right, director Chuang Ching-shen, actors Chloe Xiang, Buffy Chen, Bruce Chiu and producer David Tang pose during a press conference for their movie “The Uniform” at a theater in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
The film’s portrayal of Taiwanese landscapes, daily life and cultural values may feel familiar to Korean audiences, making it easy to forget the geographical distance.
The film also incorporates the devastating 921 earthquake, also known as the Jiji earthquake, which struck Taiwan in 1999. Chuang emphasized the event’s significance.
“It’s a serious and unforgettable memory for all Taiwanese people. It was an event that couldn’t be avoided when telling a story set between 1997 and 2000,” he said, adding he believes that confronting this disaster in the film created an opportunity for a deeper message.
From left are actors Bruce Chiu, Buffy Chen and Chloe Xiang in a scene from the Taiwanese film “The Uniform”/ Courtesy of Studio Santa Claus Entertainment, Emu Films
The film was also featured at the Busan International Film Festival last year. Chen recalled the warm reception.
“I told the audience in Busan that it was the first time I saw the film on a big screen, and their reaction was so enthusiastic and supportive,” she said. “I was so moved by their reaction that I started crying.”
Xiang shared what she hopes audiences will take away from the film.
“The reason this story is so good is that it talks about the growing pains two young women experience as they mature,” she said. “I hope this movie helps you feel the spirit of youth and find the courage to be your true self.”
Chuang expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to show a Taiwanese film in Korea. “It’s a very rare opportunity, and I’m truly honored,” he said. “I hope the audience understands how wonderful it is to be your true self. It doesn’t matter where we are right now. What matters most is where we are going.”
“The Uniform” opens in theaters Friday.