EXCLUSIVE: Taiwan’s PTS Taigi TV station has started production on Gunshot, an eight-part police drama produced with S11 Partners and Third Culture Content.
The Taiwanese-language series stars Kent Tsai (The Teenage Psychic), Chan Tzu-Hsuan, Cheng Chih-Wei, Golden Horse Award-winning actor Lu Hsiao-Fen and Singaporean Golden Horse winner Mark Lee.
Set against the intersection of policing, social media and public accountability, the series explores the challenges facing modern law enforcement in an increasingly connected world where social media influence, performance metrics and public opinion increasingly shape law enforcement.
Partly inspired by real-life experiences shared by police officers, the series is co-directed by acclaimed Taiwanese director Hsiao Li-Hsiu (Wake Up) and creator-director Chang Kai-Chih. Chen Fang-Chi (Hotel Saltwater) and Hsu Shih-Hui (The Abandoned) serve as writers on the project.
The story follows three police officers with conflicting views of justice trying to navigate a system that rewards visibility over virtue, forcing them to confront what it truly means to be a good cop.
Tsai plays Hao, a detective whose career is upended after a controversial use-of-force incident thrusts him into the public spotlight. Chan stars as idealistic rookie officer Shih-Ting, while veteran actor Cheng portrays Hou, a pragmatic policeman approaching retirement.
Mark Lee takes on the role of Long, a powerful crime boss whose calm demeanor conceals a dangerous and unpredictable nature.
The series reunites producers Cora Yim, co-founder of S11 Partners, and Janice Chua, co-founder of Third Culture Content, following acclaimed Disney+ TV series Taiwan Crime Stories, which received 12 Golden Bell Award nominations and recognition at the Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards in Busan.
Yim and Chua said: “Gunshot reflects the kind of storytelling we want to champion – grounded in local culture, yet ambitious in scope and execution. From the beginning, we saw the series as an opportunity to tell a distinctly Taiwanese story through a contemporary lens.
“Partnering with PTS Taigi TV Station on a Taiwanese-language crime drama is an ambitious and meaningful step for all of us. We believe Gunshot contributes to the continued evolution of Taiwanese-language drama by demonstrating that these stories can embrace new genres, contemporary themes, and resonate with audiences far beyond Taiwan.”
Gunshot originated from EMERGE, the development initiative launched by TAICCA and Imagine Entertainment to support internationally minded creators and stories from Asia, with Imagine Entertainment continuing to support the project as a producer.
