Los Angeles – Wildly popular Taiwanese drama “The Way We Were” has been dubbed in
Spanish and will be airing in the US on November 21, 2016. “The Way We Were” is the second
Taiwanese-Spanish TV program collaboration that will air in the U.S., following last year’s airing
of “The Fierce Wife.” The drama will be broadcasted on KJLA Channel 57, the Los Angeles
base for LATV Network, a Spanish language entertainment network.
Translated as “Dieciséis Veranos” in Spanish from the original Mandarin title “16個夏天” (Lit.
“Sixteen Summers”), the drama will also be broadcasted this year in nine Latin American
countries, including six of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies—Guatemala, Honduras, Panama,
Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Paraguay—in addition to Argentina, Colombia and Mexico. The
partnership between KJLA and TECO-LA (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles)
is a part of an initiative launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan to foster awareness
and understanding of Taiwanese culture in Spanish speaking communities.
“Dieciséis Veranos” follows five college friends into adulthood. Spanning sixteen years, from the
summer of 1998 to 2014, the series highlights several major events weaved throughout the
story of star-crossed lovers Jiani Tang (played by actress Ruby Lin) and Weide Fang (played by
actor Weber Yang), including the 729 blackout and the 921 earthquake (in 1999), the 2003
SARS outbreak, and the financial crisis of 2007-2008. Airing in Taiwan in 2014, the show won a
Golden Bell Award (equivalent to the Emmy Awards in the U.S.) for “Best Television Series”.
“We are delighted to bring a television drama that has made waves in Taiwanese popular
culture to the United States,” said Steve Hsia, the Director-General of TECO-LA. “The Way We
Were is not just a soap opera, but a deeply funny and touching show that illustrates universal
topics such as love, friendship, and loyalty. We believe that these topics can resonate across
cultures and language. As this is the second series that will be airing in the U.S., I am confident
that a bridge has been built between Latin and Taiwanese cultures,” he adds. “It’s truly a
pleasure to bring these programs to Los Angeles to share with all of our Spanish speaking
friends.”
The drama will be aired from November 21 to December 26 Monday through Friday from 2:00
PM to 3:00 PM. Please check the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/TourTaiwan for a chance to win prizes, including (3) Acer Iconia One
7 tablets (deadline to enter is December 26th; winners will be announced December 30th)!
