Taiwan Creative Content Fest readies biggest ever edition as global interest surges

The sixth Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) is the largest edition to date, featuring a record number of participants and further positioning it as a key platform for global business matchmaking and content trading in the region.

The 100 booths originally planned for the TCCF Market sold out on the first day, with a further 12 added in response to the demand. In total, some 118 organisations and companies are being hosted at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center (November 4-7), where the event moved last year.

“This remarkable turnout reflects the industry’s strong trust in TCCF,” says Erica Wang, CEO of Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), which organises the annual event. “It also embodies the confidence that both Taiwanese and international professionals have in the creative economy.”

This marks the first edition for Wang, who took up the role in August having previously worked as tax director at Pricewaterhouse­Coopers Taiwan. She also served as a financial consultant for the National Development Fund’s joint investment in the creative content industry.

Some 67 Taiwanese and 51 international exhibitors are taking part in TCCF Market, with South Korea and France each hosting a pavilion. It marks a sharp increase on the international front, compared to just 14 international participants (from a total of 87) in 2023 at the tail-end of the pandemic.

“The growth comes mainly from international exhibitors,” says Wang. “Following last year’s successful event, participants from Asia, Europe and the US signed up, with particularly notable involvement from Korea, France, Japan, Singapore and Thailand. The ratio [between local and international exhibitors] precisely reflects the ideal balance that TCCF strives to achieve.”

Over the past year, TAICCA has actively participated in major international markets such as Hong Kong Filmart, Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market, Telefilm Vietnam and Broadcast Worldwide in Seoul to promote TCCF.

“Through global marketing campaigns and extensive media exposure, we have significantly enhanced TCCF’s brand visibility and international recognition,” says Wang. “Exhibitors know they can meet real partners here – buyers, OTT platforms and production teams.”

Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) is setting up the Korea Pavilion, bringing a large delegation of high-profile media and production organisations to Taiwan. These include major public broadcasters KBS and MBC; KT Studio­genie, part of telecom giant KT; Studio S, a subsidiary of media group SBS; and Kang Contents, which specialises in K-pop productions. Further­more, Gyeonggi Content Agency (GCA) will bring content companies and investors from South Korea’s Gyeonggi region, following the signing of a memorandum-of-understanding with TAICCA last year.

The France Pavilion, jointly organised by Institut Francais and Business France, features 10 leading companies from film, animation and immersive content, including La Générale de Production, Zephyr Animation and Grand Palais Immersif. Series Mania will continue to run Serial Bridges at TCCF, a talent training programme for Asia-based producers and writers that it launched in partnership with TAICCA.

Also making their debuts at TCCF Market and seeking partnership opportunities with Taiwan are Thailand’s Creative Economy Agency (CEA); the Philippines’ Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), part of the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry; and Hong Kong media companies Regentact and Cheers Media.

One-stop process

TCCF comprises three major components – Market, Pitching and Forum – integrating market practice with creative development and combining them into a complete industrial ecosystem.

“This setup allows for a one-stop process that spans from original IP creation and fundraising to rights trading, while also fostering cross-industry collaboration among the film, animation, publishing and technology sectors, making it one of the rare content matchmaking platforms in Asia,” explains Wang.

This year, TCCF Pitching attracted a record of nearly 700 submissions from 44 countries, with 94 projects ultimately selected from diverse categories – feature films, series, animation, documentaries and publishing works such as comics. They are open to global projects and story submissions at any stage of development, without restrictions on production progress.

Among the projects selected for the Pitching section are six titles grouped under a new romance-themed category, ‘If Romance Comes Again’, which includes Portico Media’s Light, with Jay Lin as executive producer, and Fire and Ice Media’s Never The Bride, with Liza Dino as producer/writer.

“TCCF has evolved to focus more on market effectiveness and global collaboration,” says Wang. “It embodies TAICCA’s mission to connect Taiwan’s creative talent with the global market.

“Through TCCF, we have built international partnerships, attracted investment and promoted co-production. It’s a tangible example of how public institutions can empower creative industries through professional, globally recognised platforms.”

More than 1,700 professionals from 35 countries are attending TCCF. These include 300-plus international buyers, a roll call that features France’s Pascal Breton of Federation Studios and Julien Borde of Mediawan Kids & Family, and South Korea’s Soojin Jung of Showbox Entertainment and Sonya Kim of Hive Media Corp.

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