The Taiwanese television network PTS released a new series in February that many have been eagerly awaiting. The series is called The Magician on the Skywalk. Its story was adapted from a novel of the same title by Wu Ming-yi, a famous author, professor, and environmental activist.
The 10-episode series is about people growing up in the 1980s around Chunghwa Market, a large multi-building commercial complex formerly located in the heart of Taipei. The story begins with a 4th-grade boy whose parents run a shoe store. The young boy sells insoles to earn some money on a footbridge outside the market during summer. There, he meets a mysterious magician who performs different kinds of magic tricks for people passing by day after day. The little boy is fascinated by the magician. The boy and other kids in the neighborhood all save money to buy “magic” items from the man. As the series progresses, each of these children will have their fates changed as a result of their encounter with the magician.
complex [ ˈkɑmplɛks ] n. 建築群；綜合大樓 insole [ ˈɪnˌsol ] n. 鞋墊 footbridge [ ˈfʊtˌbrɪdʒ ] n. 人行天橋 fascinate [ ˈfæsn̩ˌet ] vt. 迷住
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Building the set of the Chunghwa Market for the series took the crew one year to complete and cost a total of NT$80 million. The accurate reconstruction of the complex helps produce a nostalgic appeal for viewers, especially those who remember their own trips to the famous market.
