TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Netflix's latest Taiwanese drama, "Born for the Spotlight" (影后), has captured viewers' attention since its Nov. 7 release. The series quickly climbed to the top of the platform's charts, sparking discussions with its revealing portrayal of the entertainment industry. Directed and written by Yen Yi-wen (嚴藝文), the drama explores the careers of seven actresses, uncovering explosive secrets such as staged grief for media attention, affairs, cosmetic surgery, and sexual harassment.
The series boasts a star-studded cast, featuring Golden Horse Awards (金馬獎) and Golden Bell Awards (金鐘獎) winners like Yang Kuei-mei (楊貴媚), Hsieh Ying-xuan (謝盈萱), Chung Hsin-ling (鍾欣凌), Cheryl Yang (楊謹華), Cherry Hsieh (謝瓊煖), and Hsueh Shih-ling (薛仕凌). Audiences have praised their powerful performances, predicting fierce competition at next year's Golden Bell Awards. A key plotline involves the evolving relationship between Hsieh Ying-xuan's character, Hsueh Ya-chih (薛亞之), and Cheryl Yang's character, Chou Fan (周凡), who transition from close friends to adversaries.
Another highlight is the touching love story between the once-famous Chou Fan and the young bellboy Wayne (曾雅欣), culminating in a classic scene where they sing Fish Leong's (梁靜茹) hit "Courage" (勇氣) on a tour bus. Cherry Hsieh's portrayal of Ko Li-fen (柯麗芬) and her emotional scenes with her daughter have moved viewers to tears.
Despite speculation that the characters mirror figures in Taiwan's entertainment scene, Director Yen insists that any resemblance is coincidental. With all 12 episodes available on Netflix, "Born for the Spotlight" continues to draw a large audience eager to binge-watch the gripping series.