East Meets West: HBO's Sizzling Asian Originals Heat Up the Summer

What happens when the East and West unite? You get five sizzling Asian originals delivered by HBO Max, adding a new, exciting twist to your summer binge-watch lists. Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines are on the creative map, their works set to premiere on the well-renowned Warner Bros. Discovery streaming platform throughout the summer.

The first of these exciting releases,“Fired Up!” brings you a tale of tenacity from Taiwan. This drama, consisting of 12 episodes, follows the journey of a young man trying to solve the mystery of his father's death, while also running the family restaurant. The director's chair was occupied by none other than the celebrated Kao Pin-chuan, with the co-directing credits going to Tseng Ying-ting. The series, which is produced by DaMou Entertainment and stars a talented cast including Mandopop artist Eric Chou, Angela Yuen, Shao Yu-wei, and Ben Wu, premieres on July 31.

The next Taiwanese delicacy, “The Producer,” shadows a hopeful music producer striving to overcome the numerous hurdles that come with her ambition. Produced by YIYI Pictures Co., this series flaunts Yo Yang and 9m88 in the lead roles and joins the streaming platform on Aug. 28.

From Filipino creatives comes “Call My Manager,” an eight-episode series that follows the professional mishaps and victories of three celebrity managers. Riding high on the success of the beloved French comedy “Call My Agent,” the series is produced by Reality MM Studios and orchestrated by the prolific Erik Matti and Ronald “Dondon” Monteverde. The series, featuring a stellar cast led by Judy Ann Santos, Edu Manzano, and RK Bagatsing, graces the streaming platform on Aug. 13.

Also from the Philippines, food and reality TV come together in “Come Dine With Me: Celebrity Philippines.” Premiering on July 23, this series is a local version of the popular British format, promising heaps of fun as 20 local celebrities and public figures compete.

As the last piece of this diverse puzzle, the Indonesian feature film “The Invisible Guest” materializes on the platform Aug. 7, promising suspense and drama with Mawar Eva De Jongh and Reza Rahadian in leading roles.

These Asian originals are set to premiere on HBO Max across selected APAC markets, including Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Viewers globally can anticipate additional regional premieres, set to be announced later. Let's get fired up for a summer of eye-opening narratives, only on HBO Max!