How does an outside perspective help protect the heart of Taiwanese music? In this episode, Aurelia Chuah chats with Chen Yu Neng (陳玉能) aka Lao Huang Gua (老黃瓜), founder of Singapore's FreshmusicSG - a music site on Mandopop and Sinophone music. They chat about FreshmusicSG's dedicated annual marathon of listening to over a thousand album, explore the team's decision to shift its focus from individual celebrity culture to the essential teamwork behind music production, and concluding a deep dive into the modern "Taiwanese identity" found in the stunning, genre-blending sounds of Siri Lee’s (李竺芯) award-winning album, Sui 水.

Aurelia Chuah is a student at the Department of Radio and TV at National Chengchi University (NCCU).

“Speak Up” is a podcast program by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Season 1 episodes are student work from the class, “Podcasting: Audio Journalism & Branded Podcasts” in Spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.

Music credit: All About The Sun by Quantum Jazz and Digital Piano Technology by AudioCoffee from Free Music Archive dot org.

How does an outside perspective help protect the heart of Taiwanese music? In this episode, Aurelia Chuah chats with Chen Yu Neng (陳玉能) aka Lao Huang Gua (老黃瓜), founder of Singapore's <a href="https://freshmusic.sg/">FreshmusicSG</a> - a music site on Mandopop and Sinophone music. They chat about FreshmusicSG's dedicated annual marathon of listening to over a thousand album, explore the team's decision to shift its focus from individual celebrity culture to the essential teamwork behind music production, and concluding a deep dive into the modern "Taiwanese identity" found in the stunning, genre-blending sounds of Siri Lee&rsquo;s (李竺芯) award-winning album, Sui 水.
Aurelia Chuah is a student at the Department of Radio and TV at National Chengchi University (NCCU).
&ldquo;Speak Up&rdquo; is a podcast program by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Season 1 episodes are student work from the class, &ldquo;Podcasting: Audio Journalism &amp; Branded Podcasts&rdquo; in Spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.
Music credit: <a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Quantum_Jazz/End_of_Line/04_-Quantum_Jazz-_All_About_The_Sun/">All About The Sun</a> by Quantum Jazz and <a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/audiocoffee/sad-mood/digital-piano-technology/">Digital Piano Technology</a> by AudioCoffee from Free Music Archive dot org.

Episodes in this program are made by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University (NCCU) in Taipei, Taiwan. Students here are in the undergraduate program at the Department of Radio and Television, or the graduate program at IMICS (International Master's Program in International Communication Studies).

Season 1 includes student work from the class “Podcasting: Audio Journalism & Branded Podcasts” at NCCU in spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu. 

Thank you to the following people and centers for their support: Dean of College of Communication, Dr. Hsiu-Hui Sun (政大傳播學院院長孫秀蕙); Chair of the Department of Radio & TV, Dr. Stanley Chun-Ming Huang (廣播與電視學系主任黃俊銘); Director of IMICS, Dr. I-Huei Cheng (國際傳播英語碩士學位學程主任鄭怡卉); Voice of NCCU radio station (VNCCU, 政大之聲電台), and the Audio and Video Lab (影音實驗室).

本節目為台灣國立政治大學傳播學院之廣播與電視學系及國際傳播英語碩士學位學程學生作品。第一季為114學年度課程「Podcasting: Audio Journalism & Branded Podcasts」（英文教學）之作品，指導老師為兼任教師吳怡慈。政大傳播學院成立於1989年，為台灣歷史最悠久、最具指標性之新聞傳播教育學府。

Episodes in this program are made by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University (NCCU) in Taipei, Taiwan. Students here are in the undergraduate program at the Department of Radio and Television, or the graduate program at IMICS (International Master's Program in International Communication Studies).
Season 1 includes student work from the class &ldquo;Podcasting: Audio Journalism &amp; Branded Podcasts&rdquo; at NCCU in spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.&nbsp;
Thank you to the following people and centers for their support: Dean of College of Communication, Dr. Hsiu-Hui Sun (政大傳播學院院長孫秀蕙); Chair of the Department of Radio &amp; TV, Dr. Stanley Chun-Ming Huang (廣播與電視學系主任黃俊銘); Director of IMICS, Dr. I-Huei Cheng (國際傳播英語碩士學位學程主任鄭怡卉); Voice of NCCU radio station (VNCCU, 政大之聲電台), and the Audio and Video Lab (影音實驗室).
本節目為台灣國立政治大學傳播學院之廣播與電視學系及國際傳播英語碩士學位學程學生作品。第一季為114學年度課程「Podcasting: Audio Journalism &amp; Branded Podcasts」（英文教學）之作品，指導老師為兼任教師吳怡慈。政大傳播學院成立於1989年，為台灣歷史最悠久、最具指標性之新聞傳播教育學府。

Speak Up

The 19-Year Marathon to Keep Taiwan's Music "Fresh"

Hi! My name is Jim Chiang, and I've always been a fan of fashion. But among all its different categories, vintage stands out, because each piece carries a history that can't be replicated, a story that belongs to a specific moment in time. That's what makes it fascinating, and that's what keeps pulling me deeper into it.

But as the second-hand market grows, so does the pressure on the stores that built it. Online platforms like Shopee have changed the game. It gives vintage shops a new stage, but that new stage doesn't always align with what vintage is actually about. What happens when a platform built for cheap meets a store built for meaning?

In this episode, I sit down with Yoyo, founder of Art11 Vintage in Tainan, to talk about what it really means to sell vintage in Taiwan today. Enjoy the episode!

Jim Chiang is a graduate student at the International Master's Program in International Communication Studies (IMICS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU).

“Speak Up” is a podcast program by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Season 1 episodes are student work from the class, “Podcasting: Audio Journalism & Branded Podcasts” in Spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.

Hi! My name is Jim Chiang, and I've always been a fan of fashion. But among all its different categories, vintage stands out, because each piece carries a history that can't be replicated, a story that belongs to a specific moment in time. That's what makes it fascinating, and that's what keeps pulling me deeper into it.
But as the second-hand market grows, so does the pressure on the stores that built it. Online platforms like Shopee have changed the game. It gives vintage shops a new stage, but that new stage doesn't always align with what vintage is actually about. What happens when a platform built for cheap meets a store built for meaning?
In this episode, I sit down with Yoyo, founder of Art11 Vintage in Tainan, to talk about what it really means to sell vintage in Taiwan today. Enjoy the episode!
Jim Chiang is a graduate student at the International Master's Program in International Communication Studies (IMICS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU).
&ldquo;Speak Up&rdquo; is a podcast program by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Season 1 episodes are student work from the class, &ldquo;Podcasting: Audio Journalism &amp; Branded Podcasts&rdquo; in Spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.

Selling vintage clothes on Shopee: A game you know you couldn’t win, but must be played

Charis Hayward interviews Dr. Frank Yu-feng Hsu (Professor, Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University) on his lifetime spent researching butterflies and moths. He tells stories about discovering new species and his conservation efforts. After the interview, Hayward visits and describes the "Wings over the island" butterfly and moth exhibit currently on display at the National Taiwan Museum. 

Charis Hayward is a graduate student at the International Master's Program in International Communication Studies (IMICS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU).

“Speak Up” is a podcast program by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Season 1 episodes are student work from the class, “Podcasting: Audio Journalism & Branded Podcasts” in Spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.

Music credit: Emotional happy acoustic guitar by Yurascoop from Free Music Archive dot org.

Charis Hayward interviews Dr. Frank Yu-feng Hsu (Professor,&nbsp;Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University)&nbsp;on his lifetime spent researching butterflies and moths. He tells stories about discovering new species and his conservation efforts. After the interview, Hayward visits and describes the "Wings over the island" butterfly and moth exhibit currently on display at the National Taiwan Museum.&nbsp;
Charis Hayward is a graduate student at the International Master's Program in International Communication Studies (IMICS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU).
&ldquo;Speak Up&rdquo; is a podcast program by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Season 1 episodes are student work from the class, &ldquo;Podcasting: Audio Journalism &amp; Branded Podcasts&rdquo; in Spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.
Music credit: <a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/yurasoop/single/emotional-happy-acoustic-guitarmp3/">Emotional happy acoustic guitar</a> by Yurascoop from Free Music Archive dot org.

The Butterfly Kingdom

In Taiwan, the traditional script for finding “home” has always been anchored to your family of origin: stay close to your parents, get a stable local job, buy an apartment, marry, and settle down. But for a new generation raised to be “global citizens” and encouraged to cross borders, that's starting to feel like a suit that no longer fits. When you are educated to be worldly and independent, what happens to your sense of belonging at home?

In this episode, Calvin Chen explores the cultural friction and identity vacuum created by hyper-globalization. He sits down with Jaynie Cheng — an EducationUSA advisor, daughter of a Filipino-Chinese mother, and a transnational citizen who has lived across Europe and the U.S.

Jaynie shares her personal journey of embracing borderless independence. From living on her own to stepping away from conventional Taiwanese expectations, her story reflects the internal friction of someone who has mastered the global language but finds the local cultural script.

Calvin Chen is a graduate student at the International Master's Program in International Communication Studies (IMICS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU).

“Speak Up” is a podcast program by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Season 1 episodes are student work from the class, “Podcasting: Audio Journalism & Branded Podcasts” in Spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.

Music credit: Beautiful Acoustic Chill by Sound Of Freedom, Lofi Background Music by VibeDepot from Free Music Archive dot org.

In Taiwan, the traditional script for finding &ldquo;home&rdquo; has always been anchored to your family of origin: stay close to your parents, get a stable local job, buy an apartment, marry, and settle down. But for a new generation raised to be &ldquo;global citizens&rdquo; and encouraged to cross borders, that's starting to feel like a suit that no longer fits. When you are educated to be worldly and independent, what happens to your sense of belonging at home? In this episode, Calvin Chen explores the cultural friction and identity vacuum created by hyper-globalization. He sits down with&nbsp;Jaynie Cheng &mdash; an EducationUSA advisor, daughter of a Filipino-Chinese mother, and a transnational citizen who has lived across Europe and the U.S. Jaynie shares her personal journey of embracing borderless independence. From living on her own to stepping away from conventional Taiwanese expectations, her story reflects the internal friction of someone who has mastered the global language but finds the local cultural script.
Calvin Chen is a graduate student at the International Master's Program in International Communication Studies (IMICS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU).
&ldquo;Speak Up&rdquo; is a podcast program by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Season 1 episodes are student work from the class, &ldquo;Podcasting: Audio Journalism &amp; Branded Podcasts&rdquo; in Spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.
Music credit: <a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/sound-of-freedom/single/beautiful-acoustic-chill-mp3/">Beautiful Acoustic Chill</a> by Sound Of Freedom, <a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/vibedepot/lofi/lofi-background-music/">Lofi Background Music</a> by VibeDepot from Free Music Archive dot org.

The 19-Year Marathon to Keep Taiwan's Music "Fresh"

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