Last Saturday, Netflix hosted the “Mazu’s Escort! The Straw Hat Pirates Parade” at Kaohsiung Harbor to promote the live-action One Piece. The event drew more than 80,000 attendees. As the sea’s guardian deity, Mazu teaming up with One Piece was truly a dream collaboration. I absolutely loved the creativity behind this large-scale event, so of course I didn’t want to miss it—and I had an amazing time that day.
Over the past few days, I’ve been wondering: when did I, someone who used to think Kaohsiung was boring, start letting go of that old perception?
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◦ Once a Kaohsiung local who never knew where to take friends
In the past, when friends visited Kaohsiung or asked for recommendations on what to eat or do, my answers depended on how close we were. If we were close, I’d say, “Let’s go to Tainan for street food!” If not, I’d fall back on the same old suggestions—Xiziwan, Mount Chai, Pier-2 Art Center, or Weiwuying. Otherwise, I’d just tell them to head straight to Kenting.
◦ Suddenly, every week became packed with events
Putting politics aside, sometime after the new city administration took office, I began to notice something surprising—there seemed to be events every single week. One moment it was BLACKPINK and TWICE performing at the National Stadium; the next, Super Junior and OneRepublic were singing at the Kaohsiung Arena. Even the Asia Artist Awards (AAA) were brought to Kaohsiung. Most exciting of all, Park Bo-gum held a fan meeting here—and was even spotted jogging at Central Park in the morning. Friends from northern Taiwan, who rarely used to travel south, now often come just to attend concerts and events. They’ve even started jokingly complaining to me that they have to keep booking high-speed rail tickets and hotels again.
◦ The whole city came alive
The festive atmosphere wasn’t limited to event days—it spilled into everyday life. When BLACKPINK came, the entire city turned pink, with large installations, metro stations, and even streetlights transformed into a BLACKPINK universe. This time, One Piece was no different—there were Chopper footprints on the ground and Chopper-themed decorations on streetlights, leaving fans absolutely delighted.
Having lived in Kaohsiung for over 30 years, I still remember when passing by the Love River as a child meant holding my breath and walking quickly to avoid the stench. Now, the area has become a popular venue for large-scale events. It feels almost unbelievable—but more than that, it fills me with a deep sense of relief and appreciation. I truly hope this vibrancy and prosperity will continue.
