Taiwanese Sweetheart tells the story of how the relationships between four young people change and develop. The main storyline follows the romance between Guo Jiaxing and He Xiaotong, while Yuan Hua and Zhou Chuchu’s love story is a secondary plot. The emotional entanglement between Yuan Hua and Guo Jiaxing forms an underlying thread, woven organically through the story to drive the plot forward.
The story begins when Guo Jiaxing goes to the airport to pick up his Taiwanese girlfriend, He Xiaotong. Their story is interspersed with his friendship with Yuan Hua and details of Yuan Hua’s love life. Over the next seven days, He Xiaotong’s feelings undergo dramatic changes. After much wavering, she ultimately chooses the mainland and Guo Jiaxing.
At its heart, Taiwanese Sweetheart expresses the bonds and connections between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, as well as hopes and dreams for a bright future for the mainland and Taiwan. The names Yuan Hua and his father Yuan Zhong, a former regiment commander, evoke the idea of “China reunited.” He Xiaotong and her father He Yi evoke “harmony and unity,” while Guo Jiaxing and his subordinate Dasheng evoke “the prosperity of the nation.” Other characters, such as “Director Kong” and “Sister-in-law Meng,” also draw on allusions to ancient sages like Confucius and Mencius’s mother, highlighting the shared historical and cultural roots of both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
