For those who enjoy the fun and light mood of rom-coms but want to do away with the cheesiness, it might be worthwhile to check out the new HBO Asia Originals Taiwanese comedy-drama, “The Accidental Influencer.”
Streaming now on HBO GO (Max in the US), The Accidental Influencer has the quintessential heroine of rom-coms in Red Ho, a Taiwanese who dreams of owning an apartment and marrying her boyfriend as she hits a major milestone, her 30th birthday.
However, her hope for a perfect life is dashed when she is suddenly dumped by her boyfriend on her birthday. Things get worse when she discovers who her boyfriend left her for.
Heartbroken, Red makes an unconventional emotional decision to resign from her stable job while her friends attempt to distract and encourage her to move on.
Now here’s a spin that rom-coms seldom utilize: jobless and at a loss, Red turns to social media to air her grievances and is met with a surprising outcome. There, she rediscovers her independence and embarks on an unexpected journey.
Making The Accidental Influence more relatable, the series is inspired by the true story of a Taiwanese blogger who goes by the name ‘Showon.’
The Accidental Influencer features Golden Horse Award-winner, Shu Yao Kuo as Red Ho, Aviis Zhong as Vivian Lee, Ke-Fang Sun as Clara Wang, and Ken Lin as Shucheng Liang and a supporting cast which include Golden Horse Award-winner Ray Chang as Chihming Chou, Golden Bell Award-winner Yao Chun Yao (as Jay Luo and Yi-Ti Yao as JC Yu.
Shu Yao Kuo, who plays the lead, said she was surprised to see how the story evolved.
“I didn’t expect it to be a comedy. I thought it was going to be a story about a regular office worker who lost her job. But I found out that it has such an interesting storyline. It’s not what we may experience in our normal lives, but most of us may encounter certain moments in our lives. I think this drama is a good one for everyone at any stage in life,” Shu said at the show’s virtual media conference.
While Shu told The Manila Times that she doesn’t see herself following the footsteps of her character should she be in her shoes (“I’m not someone who is good at writing, and I’m also not a very humorous person, so I don’t really dare to write this kind of stuff and post them online. It might also hurt the feelings of the other party, so I wouldn’t do that in real life”), the actress felt empowered to play the role.
“After filming this drama, I think I’ve become more confident, humorous, and vocal. So maybe to my next boyfriend, I’ll tell him to be careful,” Shu said in light humor.
In ending, the cast invited viewers to watch the show with this particular promise from Aviis Zhong, “The show will be perfect for people who just want to watch something a little fun and enjoy a story of friendship and how this beautiful bond will never die.”