The First-ever in Taiwan! Fubon Cultural and Educational Foundation Launches a Children-Exclusive Popular Music Program
The Golden Bell Award Producer of "Whoo Gu Po and Her Friends" Leads the Way and is Created by a Team that has Won Three Gold Awards
In recent years, the international market for children's film and television content has undergone significant changes. Advanced production techniques and digital transformation have driven the vibrant innovation of children's programs. With the rise of environmental awareness and changes in consumer viewing behavior, the market is also showing new dynamics, especially with the urgent demand for children's audiovisual content. The Fubon Cultural and Educational Foundation and the Taiwan Creative Content Agency are working together to enhance the quality and quantity of children's film and television content in Taiwan, driving industry momentum and introducing more "edutainment" domestic programs for Taiwanese children. After a year of hard work, in addition to the ongoing planning of the Children and Youth Film and Television Content Fund, the foundation has successfully launched the first new media cross-domain children's program, "Whoo Gu Po and her friends," with the support of the Ministry of Culture.
The issue of musical homogeneity is evident in Taiwanese children's programs, where most singing and dancing shows are dominated by simplified lyrics and melodies, limiting children's understanding and appreciation of music. Irene Chen, Executive Director of the Fubon Cultural and Educational Foundation, remarked: "Music not only stimulates children's intellectual growth but also enhances their social skills, boosts confidence, and helps regulate emotions. The Fubon Cultural and Educational Foundation has developed the program "Whoo Gu Po and her friends" to encourage children to express themselves more boldly by observing other children's experiences. For the first time, they are integrating popular music into children's programs, blending education and entertainment. The aim is to provide young viewers with a more diverse musical experience and to make music a potential source of emotional support and intellectual inspiration."
"Whoo Gu Po and her friends" is a popular music program specifically designed for children. It features a reinterpretation of the traditional character “Whoo Gu Po” by Ching Ying Tao. Ms. Tao stated, "We have transformed the character of Whoo Gu Po. She is no longer a monster that scares children at night, but a vegetarian who loves singing and dancing, and accompanies children in facing their fears." When asked about the challenges and interesting aspects of recording for the program, Ms. Tao remarked, "They are not very talkative, and sometimes they simply do not talk much."
The program invites musicians who are also parents, Kay Huang, Vivian Hsu, Victor Wong, Won Fu, Peggy Hsu, Wing, Jacky Chen, Kasiwa, and Xiao Wei, who sings his own music for the first time as a solo artist, to create nine pop music songs based on the world's ballads for children, which crosses the genres of classical, jazz, electronic, and popular music, and each song is a blessing for the children. "Children are our most important source of creative inspiration," said singer Wing and Jacky Chen about the creative energy that children give them during the creative process. Peggy Hsu talks about the background of her song "Hero of Tears," saying, "I want to create a world of fantasy and magic for children, where they don't have to be afraid to cry, because tears are a hero.” Kasiwa, a Paiwanese singer and songwriter who led the Pingtung Rainbow Ballad Team to complete the recording of the song, said, "It's been a great process to be able to bring the children together to accomplish this task.”
In addition, the program has also invited a strong music production team - Andrew Chu, Jennifer Hong, Gu Hao, Qin Xu Zhang, Huang Xuan Ming, and other producers –to create a record of gold medal-winning combinations that have never been seen in the Taiwan children's music program before and under the leadership of three gold awards designer Cowper Wang, the program also brings together Taiwan's outstanding visual and animation teams to create a musical forest world that teaches children to bravely face their inner fears in a joyful and lively atmosphere. We hope to utilize the power of music to inspire children's imagination and courage, so that they can transcend their fears and grow into stronger selves in the process of exploration and learning. Victor Wong said, "It's a program full of sincerity to face the fear and feel the beauty of music," and invited all children and adults to watch it on time!
Today (April 27th), Fubon Cultural and Educational Foundation, together with participation in the production of Grx Studio and dosomething studio, as well as the worldwide distribution of Taiwan Mobile and MOMO Parent-Child Channel, announced the official premiere of "Whoo Gu Po and her friends" at Taipei Music Center, a partner program unit. Whoo Gu Po Ching Ying Tao and her musical friends - Victor Wong, Kasiwa, Jacky Chen, and Wing - will be the closing act for the children month of the Department of Education, Taipei City Government at the Taipei Music Center's Outdoor Plaza, along with many children who will be participating in the program, and will have a live Whoo Gu Po and her friends music party!
Each 15-minute episode of "Whoo Gu Po and her friends" will have its grand premiere on Saturday at 5pm on April 27 on MOMO Parent-Child Channel and MyVideo and will be updated every Saturday thereafter. In addition, on the YouTube channel momo mini of Fubon Cultural and Educational Foundation, there are more exciting highlights, behind-the-screen, and off screen performances by Whoo Gu Po and her musical friends.