8TV Mandarin news anchor Wang Jingyi takes on the role of a travel program host for the first time in the brand-new travel show "Awesome Taiwan". Together with Taiwan English news anchor Kenji Li Xianzhi, she embarks on an in-depth 21-day journey across the treasure island. In the program, she completely breaks away from her usual intellectual image, boldly challenging extreme and outdoor activities, including stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) at sea, diving, and also tries chicken testicles (ji fo) for the first time. Returning to Taiwan for the first time in over 10 years, she candidly shares that this trip brought her a whole new experience, joking, “I had a blast!”
"Awesome Taiwan" does not follow the traditional check-in routine, but instead delves into streetscapes, night markets, local cuisine, cultural venues, and the mountains and seas, allowing viewers to rediscover Taiwan from a perspective close to local life. Wang Jingyi mentioned during a media interview that the non-stop 21-day shoot was unforgettable: “I've never experienced anything like this before. Not just me, even the production team has never done location shooting for up to 21 days. We traveled all over Taiwan—it was both a physical challenge and a fun experience.” She laughed, saying, "After traveling across Taiwan, I feel like I’m half Taiwanese now.”
When talking about her preparations for the trip, she smiled and said: “It was my first time hosting a travel program, and also my first time going overseas for filming out of Malaysia. I was both excited and nervous. To cope with outdoor activities, I went swimming two or three times a week for three weeks before departure to build up my stamina.”
Wang Jingyi appears quiet and gentle, but in reality, she loves adventure and extreme sports. In the program, she goes up the mountains and down to the seas, facing many new challenges—including trying stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) for the first time. She recalled: “Many people say beginners should practice on a lake, but I went straight to challenge the waves at sea for my first time, which is even harder. The moment I had to stand up was really tough, it took me a long time, and I had to overcome my mental barrier first—it was truly challenging. To stand stably on the board, balance is so important, and gripping with your feet demands a lot of strength.”
Trying diving for the first time, she also admitted she was quite nervous: “I was really looking forward to it, but when I heard Kenji suffered an ear injury from diving as a child, I started to feel stressed and even became fearful. I kept thinking about how he got injured the first time he dived, and as anchors, we have to wear headphones for our job, so I was really worried. Fortunately, with a one-on-one coach accompanying me the entire time, I gradually relaxed and the pressure eased.”
This trip to Taiwan was not just a test of Wang Jingyi’s physical limits, but also an “adventure” for her taste buds. She laughed and said that she tried Taiwan’s 18-day draft beer and various cocktails, and also mustered the courage to try chicken testicles for the first time, describing the texture as “a bit like tofu, and when you bite into it, it bursts with juice.”
"Awesome Taiwan" is co-produced by 8TV and Taiwan Public Television TaiwanPlus. The season consists of a total of 8 episodes and will be broadcast every Sunday night at 9pm starting from April 12th.