In recent years, the phrase “Let the world see Taiwan” has gained
popularity across various domains in Taiwan, yet the role played by
Taiwanese TV dramas has received less attention. This article uses Seqalu:
Formosa 1867 and Gold Leaf as case studies, viewing them as works that
consolidate national identity and showcase Taiwan's representative
characteristics, with the expectation of their potential to go global. Adopting
the cultural approach to narrative analysis, I analyze their production
conditions, representations of Taiwaneseness, and narrative strategies. By
examining these two texts' discursive formation within the interconnected
contexts of state-led cultural engineering, the participation of cultural
nationalists, and the transnationalization of television, I argue that they
employ the discourses of multiculturalism and maritime nation to highlight
Taiwan's unique features. I also reveal the limits of these discursive
constructions.