【Cover Story】Return to 1977: Jin Young at the Crossroads of Taiwan’s History/ 重返1977 振永站在臺灣歷史的十字路
- Dylan Tang
- 1 hour ago
- 5 min read
In 1977, Taiwan was not a place where dreams were easily spoken. Order was regarded as a necessity, silence as a sign of maturity. People learned to fold away their desires, like photographs never meant to be unfolded in public. The world may have existed somewhere beyond, but whether one could step into it was never a question with a simple answer.
Decades later, Jin Young steps into that moment in history. Standing before the camera in the dress of the late 1970s, he attempts to understand, through his own body and presence, the expressions preserved in photographs from that era and the unspoken choices they carried. The Photo from 1977 is not merely a film to him, but a stretch of time that demands closeness, understanding, and a willingness to bear its weight.
This was not the era in which Jin Young grew up, yet it was one he had to enter. Rather than assuming an instinctive understanding, he chose to return to historical materials and background research, gradually narrowing the distance between himself and the time he was portraying.
“As I wasn’t very familiar with this part of history,” Jin Young admits, “I did quite a lot of research online to better understand the social background of Taiwan at that time.”
When the camera returns to a period defined by discipline, restraint, and enforced composure, what Jin Young encounters is not simply a character profile. It is an entire way of life that no longer exists, yet still leaves visible traces. How to remain grounded, how to avoid superficiality, became the first challenges he had to face before fully stepping into the role.
The World Is Big
Two phrases recur throughout the film: “the world is big” and “BRAVE”. They move quietly between the characters like undercurrents. They are neither slogans nor declarations. In that era, such words could be spoken, but their meanings had to be handled with care.
Jin Young plays Kim Ho Hee, a taekwondo coach from South Korea living in Taiwan. The character is not overtly expressive, yet he carries a substantial emotional weight in his silence. When discussing his relationship with the female lead, Hsien Ying, Jin Young points to the restrained but persistent emotional movement between the two characters.
“Hsien Ying is actually a very talented photographer,” he explains. “But because of her father’s pressure and control, she isn’t able to fully express that talent.”
For this reason, “the world is big” is not a phrase meant to incite rebellion. Instead, it becomes a quiet source of light, guiding someone towards another possible exit. In an era where choices were tightly compressed, the weight of that sentence far exceeded its literal meaning.
“The idea that the world is big gives her hope,” Jin Young says. “And that hope allows her to rediscover her courage, to reclaim her belief in a bigger world.”
Yet courage does not flow in only one direction. It does not belong solely to the younger character. It moves back and forth between them, eventually returning to someone who once possessed it, and then lost it.
“Courage, or being brave,” Jin Young reflects, “is something Hsien Ying says to Ho Hee.”
Kim Ho Hee was once a man with courage, but past events gradually caused him to withdraw from himself. Through his encounter with Hsien Ying, he begins to recognise the person he once was, someone who believed in a world beyond immediate constraints. Neither character rescues the other, nor does one stand above the other. They simply recognise, in each other, a belief that has not yet been entirely erased.
The world being big does not necessarily mean leaving. Sometimes, it is simply a reminder that the place where one stands has always contained choices.
The Step That Required Courage
For Jin Young, accepting this project was itself an act of courage. It marked his first extended period filming overseas, his first departure from a familiar working rhythm, and his first time fully placing himself within a historical context far removed from his own lived experience.
He does not shy away from acknowledging his hesitation. “At the beginning, I was actually very hesitant about whether I should take on this project,” he admits.
Distance, language, cultural differences, and the uncertainty of stepping away from an established routine all caused him to pause repeatedly at the threshold. What ultimately led him to accept was not ambition, but a genuine desire to create something meaningful together.
“In the end, I felt a strong wish to come to Taiwan and work with everyone here,” he says. “To create something truly special, and to present that result to audiences.”
This decision carried him fully into the filming process. Rather than focusing on whether he could adapt to the environment, Jin Young paid closer attention to whether the creative process itself was given sufficient space to unfold. The working methods in Taiwan left a particularly strong impression on him.
“In Taiwan, it’s quite rare and valuable to gather a large group of actors together,” he observes, “to rehearse, adjust, and refine things collectively. That’s one of the biggest differences compared to working in Korea.”
For Jin Young, this rhythm allowed the character to develop organically over time. It was through this process that he found his footing within the role.
The Power to Draw Others In
Jin Young believes that happiness matters. From a young age, he has tried to hold on to positivity as a way of living.
“I try to keep a positive mindset and positive beliefs,” he says. “Because I think happiness is very important, I make an effort to live in a way that allows me to feel happy.”
When asked to name a guiding principle for his life, his answer is neither ornate nor abstract. Smiling, he shares a familiar saying from Korea: “Life isn’t that complicated. Just do it. Let yourself go and take the step.”
He describes himself as someone who enjoys challenges, and for him, every challenge begins with courage. Not because fear is absent, but because he understands that loss is an inevitable part of life.
“If you want to take on a challenge,” Jin Young says, “the first thing you need is courage.”
The theme of this cover story is Enchantment. To Jin Young, the word is not about charm or spectacle, but something far more human.
“I think it means the power to draw others in,” Jin Young says.
That power does not come from surface-level attraction, but from a willingness to step fully into one’s time, one’s choices, and that single moment that requires courage.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ @dylan_sy_tang
PHOTOGRAPHER/ @lu.ziheng
FASHION DIRECTOR/ @l85149
STYLIST/ @momolism
MUA/ @adore_euuul2
HAIR/ @orare_parkha
VIDEOGRAPHER/ @shyangru
GAFFER/ @lswlsw258
STYLIST ASSISTANT/ @yingjuyang
FASHION/ @johnvarvatostaiwan
JEWELLERY/ @tiffanyandco
SPECIAL THANKS/ @miaodong.taipei
