Taiwanese Companies Show How Books Grow Into Plays, Shows and Scents

Taiwanese entertainment firms are expanding original stories from books into sold-out stage plays, television series, custom fragrances, and travel itineraries.

Growth Strategy

Mimi Wang, chief operating officer of IPis Innovation, explained that the goal of developing intellectual property is to help the industry grow together and make money. The business model draws inspiration from South Korea, where government policies united fashion and electronics sectors to invest in cultural goods decades ago. IPis often begins with books because they provide an affordable way to find stories that already have established readers.

Projects and Adaptations

The company tested audience demand for its stage play "Marital Lost Love," based on a book by psychiatrist Deng Hui-wen, through three sold-out runs before expanding into a podcast and two production-linked fragrances. Another project, the series "Do You Still Love Me?" won a record five awards at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest Pitching in 2025, including the udnFunLife IP Potential Award. Future plans for this property include brand partnerships, a revival of the reality show "Love Battle," a feature film titled "99 Days to Countdown," and a related travel itinerary created with tourism partners.

Business and Investment

Erica Wang, CEO of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency, stated that successful investments require profitability, stability, and growth through a single-source, multiple-use approach. Owen Lee, chair of udnFunLife, noted that his firm handles cross-industry extensions while leaving creative work to artists. Lee evaluates rights availability, sequel permissions, and an intellectual property's spillover value before investing. He previously helped launch an exhibition for the horror film "The Rope Curse 3" prior to its release and planned a mobile virtual reality experience for the fourth installment.

Context

The Taiwan Creative Content Fest serves as a major marketplace for professionals in film, television, publishing, and digital media to pitch ideas and secure cross-industry partnerships. Creative industries worldwide increasingly rely on adapting existing book properties into multi-platform franchises to reduce marketing costs and reach broader audiences across different media formats.