Mandopop star Eric Chou is stepping into new territory with his first leading role in a television drama, starring in HBO Original Fired Up!, which premieres on July 31 on HBO Max.
The 12-episode coming-of-age series is adapted from the popular Kakao Webtoon Itaewon Class by Gwangjin, reimagining the story in a Taiwanese setting while following a young man’s determination to uncover the truth behind his father’s death and protect his family’s legacy.
Chou plays Chou Lu-yung, who returns home after a personal tragedy to fight for his family’s restaurant, Jin Lai Hao. Alongside a close-knit group of friends, he embarks on a journey to expose the circumstances surrounding his father’s death while navigating loyalty, grief and ambition.
Known primarily as one of Mandopop’s biggest singer-songwriters, the series marks a significant milestone in Chou’s acting career. Although he has appeared in television dramas and films in supporting roles, Fired Up! is his first time leading a drama series.
The Taiwanese singer rose to fame in 2014 with his breakout hit The Distance of Love, before cementing his popularity through emotional ballads such as How Have You Been?, What’s Wrong and Unbreakable Love. His heartfelt songwriting has earned him a loyal following across Asia, while his albums have consistently topped music charts in Taiwan and beyond.
Over the years, Chou has established himself as one of Mandarin pop music’s most recognisable voices, receiving multiple nominations at Taiwan’s Golden Melody Awards and accumulating billions of streams across digital platforms. His concerts regularly sell out across the region, further solidifying his status as one of the genre’s leading artistes.
Beyond acting, Chou also contributes to Fired Up! musically by writing and performing the show’s closing theme song Shells. The soundtrack also features two original songs: After Everything by Taiwanese singer Pets Tseng and Dream Light by singer-songwriter Yo Lee.
Joining Chou is Hong Kong actress Angela Yuen as Chao Yi-hsuan, alongside Shao Yu-wei, veteran actor Wang Shih-hsien, Akira Huang, Cosmos Lin, Sean Lin and Ben Wu.
The series is produced by Taiwan-based DaMou Entertainment, with Chien Li-ying serving as developer. Production is led by Jayde Lin, Leo Chiang and Lin Shiang-ling, while Kao Pin-chuan and Tseng Ying-ting share directing duties.
While Fired Up! follows the broad premise of Itaewon Class, the adaptation introduces its own characters and local cultural context, offering audiences a fresh interpretation of the internationally acclaimed story.
Fired Up! premieres on July 31 on HBO Max, with new episodes released every Friday.
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