Giddens Ko
{{short description|Taiwanese writer and director}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{family name hatnote|Ko|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Giddens Ko
| image = 2008TIBE Day3 Hall2 SigningStage Giddens.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Ko in 2008
| native_name = Ko Ching-teng (柯景騰)
| native_name_lang = Mandarin
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|08|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = Changhua County, Taiwan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| resting_place =
| occupation = {{hlist|Novelist|film director|screenwriter|film producer}}
| education = National Chiao Tung University (BS)
Tunghai University (MA)
| alma_mater =
| spouse = {{marriage|Chou Ting-yu|2017}}{{cite web|title=小三修成正果！九把刀、周亭羽登記結婚 |url=https://tw.appledaily.com/new/realtime/20171206/1254189|website=蘋果日報|accessdate=December 6, 2017|language=zh-TW}}
| partner = Hsiao-nei (2005–2014)
| children = 2
| website = {{URL|http://www.giddens.tw/blog}}
| module = {{Infobox writer|embed=yes
| pseudonym = Nine Knives ({{zh|t=九把刀|labels=no}})
| language = Mandarin
| nationality =
| ethnicity =
| period =
| genres = {{hlist|Horror|science fiction|romance}}
| subject =
| movement =
| notableworks = You Are the Apple of My Eye
Café. Waiting. Love
The Tenants Downstairs
| partner =
| relatives =
| awards =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| years_active = 1999–present
}}
}}
Giddens Ko ({{zh|t=柯景騰|s=柯景腾|poj=Koa Kéng-thêng|p=Kē Jǐngténg|first=t}}; born 25 August 1978) is a Taiwanese novelist and filmmaker. He has published more than 60 books, many of which have been adapted as films. He writes under the pseudonym of "Nine Knives" ({{zh|t=九把刀|poj=Kiú Pá To|p=Jiǔ bǎ dāo|labels=no}}).{{cite news|last1=Fang|first1=Joy|title=Success a miracle, says director Ko|url=http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20111122-311860.html|publisher=AsiaOne|date=22 November 2011|accessdate=15 October 2014|archive-date=20 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120091932/http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20111122-311860.html|url-status=dead}}
Early life and education
Born on 25 August 1978 in Changhua County, Taiwan,{{cite news|script-title=zh:九把刀到底有哪些經典作品呢？|url=http://www.setnews.net/ColumnNews.aspx?PageGroupID=9&NewsID=40494&PageType=3|accessdate=14 October 2014|publisher=SET News|date=1 October 2014|language=zh}} Ko grew up as the second of three sons in Changhua, where his parents own a pharmacy. Ko discovered his love of writing when he penned a story as part of his university application.{{cite news|title=Hollywood studio buys the rights to Giddens Ko story|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/02/13/2003495784 |work=Taipei Times|date=13 February 2011|accessdate=31 December 2011}} He earned his Bachelor of Science in Management from National Chiao Tung University and Master of Social Science from Tunghai University.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}
Career
= Early period: establishing reputation as a novelist =
He started writing fiction in 1999, and posted most of his first works on the Internet.{{cite news|author1=Han Qian|author2=Phill Newell|title=Giddens Ko: This Ain't No Foolin' Around|url=http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=185946&ctNode=1922|accessdate=14 October 2014|work=Taiwan Panorama|date=January 2012}} Ko struggled through the first five years of his writing career, before branching out into multiple genres, namely horror, science fiction, and romance. He writes 5000 words daily, and at his peak writing pace published one book per month for 14 consecutive months. This set of work helped Ko's popularity rise in Taiwan. Ko has compared himself favorably to Louis Cha, Gu Long, and Ni Kuang.
==Pen name==
"Jiubadao" was originally a song written by Ko as a senior high school student. The song's title stuck as a nickname when a tutor spotted students passing notes signed by Jiubadao and asked who he was. Classmates revealed Jiubadao to be Ko and he used the nickname as a pseudonym after graduating college.{{cite news|url=http://ent.ifeng.com/movie/news/mainland/detail_2012_01/01/11712587_0.shtml|date=1 January 2012|accessdate=14 October 2014|publisher=Yanzhao Metropolis Daily|language=zh|script-title=zh:九把刀《那些年》献给初恋女友 自曝现任女友吃醋}}
= Directing films =
In 2008, Ko directed the film {{ill|L-O-V-E (film)|lt=L-O-V-E|zh|愛到底}}, along with Vincent Fang, Chen Yi-xian and Mickey Huang.{{cite news|last1=Chung|first1=Vanessa|title=Apple of his eye|url=http://www.scmp.com/article/981285/apple-his-eye|accessdate=12 October 2014|work=South China Morning Post|date=9 October 2011}} In 2010, Ko directed the film You Are the Apple of My Eye,{{cite news|last1=Napolitano|first1=Dean|title=The Talents of Giddens Ko|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2011/08/26/the-talents-of-giddens-ko/|accessdate=12 October 2014|work=Wall Street Journal|date=28 August 2011}} based on his book {{ill|The Girl We Chased Together in Those Years|zh|那些年，我們一起追的女孩 (小說)}}.{{cite news|author1=Zhang Chan|title=Taiwanese author shocks critics with successful film|url=http://www.ecns.cn/art/2011/12-13/4585.shtml|accessdate=12 October 2014|publisher=ecns.cn|date=13 December 2011}} In 2011, Ko adapted his "Killer" series{{cite news|last1=Chen|first1=Christie|title=Giddens Ko's new film to hit theaters in Malaysia, Singapore|url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aeas/201408250009.aspx|accessdate=14 October 2014|agency=Central News Agency|date=25 August 2014}} into the film The Killer Who Never Kills.{{cite news|last1=Napolitano|first1=Dean|title=Giddens Ko 'Speechless' When It Comes to 'Apple'|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2011/11/14/giddens-ko-speechless-when-it-comes-to-apple/|accessdate=14 October 2014|work=Wall Street Journal|date=14 November 2011}} He produced a documentary focusing on Taiwan's animal shelters in 2012, titled Twelve Nights.{{cite news|last1=Hsu|first1=Jenny W.|title=Film Triggers Debate on Plight of Taiwan's Homeless Dogs|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2013/12/13/film-triggers-debate-on-plight-of-taiwans-homeless-dogs/|accessdate=14 October 2014|work=Wall Street Journal|date=13 December 2013}}{{cite news|last1=Chen|first1=Wei-tsung|last2=Chou|first2=Nien-chu|last3=Pan|first3=Jason|title=Documentary gives viewers wrong impression, animal shelter staff say|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/12/22/2003579571|accessdate=14 October 2014|work=Taipei Times|date=22 December 2013}} In 2014, another of Ko's books was adapted into the film Café. Waiting. Love.{{cite news|last1=Chan|first1=Boon|title=Cafe.Waiting.Love is a brew of appealing fresh faces and a fantastical story|url=http://stcommunities.straitstimes.com/movies/2014/09/04/cafewaitinglove-brew-appealing-fresh-faces-and-fantastical-story|accessdate=12 October 2014|work=The Straits Times|date=5 September 2014|archive-date=21 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121085315/http://stcommunities.straitstimes.com/movies/2014/09/04/cafewaitinglove-brew-appealing-fresh-faces-and-fantastical-story|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Chen|first1=Christie|title=Giddens Ko's new film soars at box office|url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aeas/201408230019.aspx|accessdate=14 October 2014|agency=Central News Agency|date=23 August 2014}} The film adaptation of another of Ko's books, Kung Fu, was originally set to be released in 2014,{{cite news|last1=Shakleton|first1=Liz|title=FIP to produce Giddens Ko's Kung Fu|url=http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/asia-pacific/fip-to-produce-giddens-kos-kung-fu/5053785.article|accessdate=1 March 2015|work=Screen International|date=10 April 2013}}{{cite news|last1=Tsui|first1=Clarence|title=Fox International Productions Backs Taiwanese Film 'Kung Fu'|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-international-productions-backs-giddens-436777|accessdate=1 March 2015|work=Hollywood Reporter|date=10 April 2013}} but its release date was pushed back to 2015.{{cite news|last1=Hsia|first1=Heidi|title=Giddens Ko's upcoming movie halts production|url=https://news.yahoo.com/giddens-kos-upcoming-movie-halts-production-062700790.html|accessdate=1 March 2015|work=Yahoo! News|date=23 July 2014}} In September 2015, Ko announced another book–to–film adaption, The Tenants Downstairs, was to be released in 2016.{{cite news|last1=Chan|first1=Boon|title=Popular Taiwanese writer Giddens Ko's thriller to be made into a film by mm2 Entertainment|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/popular-taiwanese-writer-giddens-kos-thriller-to-be-adapted-in-a-film-by-mm2|accessdate=18 October 2015|work=The Straits Times|date=30 September 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Frater|first1=Patrick|title=Busan: Adaptation of Giddens Ko's 'Tenants' to Star Simon Yam, Lee Kang-sheng|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/asia/busan-adaptation-of-giddens-kos-tenants-to-star-simon-yam-lee-kang-sheng-1201608128/|accessdate=18 October 2015|work=Variety|date=2 October 2015}}
In 2012, Ko notified Apple Inc. that some approved applications on the company's iOS platform were accessing pirated versions of his books. Apple initially refused to pull the apps, as the company was unsure about Ko's publisher having proper authorization to contact them.{{cite news|last1=Muncaster|first1=Phil|title=Apple staff call Taiwanese filmmaker an 'idiot'|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/15/apple_staff_brand_director_idiot_itunes/|accessdate=15 October 2014|work=The Register|date=15 November 2012}} Ko traveled to Hong Kong to file a complaint in person before the matter was resolved with the removal of the apps.{{cite news|title=Jiubadao denies pursuing lawsuit over Apple apps|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/11/15/2003547747|accessdate=15 October 2014|work=Taipei Times|date=15 November 2012}} On 9 October 2012, Ko was chosen as one of "Ten Outstanding Young People of Taiwan" by the Junior Chamber International Taiwan.{{cite web | url = http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/article@apa?giddens_ko_is_selected_as_one_of_ten_outstanding_young_people_of_taiwan_18378.aspx | title = Giddens Ko is selected as one of "Ten Outstanding Young People of Taiwan" | date = 11 October 2012 | publisher = Asia Pacific Arts | access-date = 10 November 2012 | archive-date = 20 October 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141020023417/http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/article@apa?giddens_ko_is_selected_as_one_of_ten_outstanding_young_people_of_taiwan_18378.aspx | url-status = dead }}
In 2017, Ko directed the high school horror-comedy film Mon Mon Mon Monsters. Ko originally intended for the film to be a mockumentary shot entirely on iPhone.{{Cite news|url=https://www.filmdoo.com/blog/2017/05/10/interview-giddens-ko-talks-mon-mon-mon-monsters/|title=Interview: Giddens Ko talks Mon Mon Mon Monsters|date=2017-05-10|work=FilmDoo|access-date=2018-09-06}} This idea, however, was eventually disregarded as the project evolved into a more personal work inspired in part by the negative publicity the director was receiving at the time for his affair with Chou.
Ko's film Miss Shampoo, adapted from his 2010 novel Precisely Out of Control, premiered at the 2023 Taipei Film Festival.{{cite news |last1=Teng |first1=Pei-ju |title=2023 Taipei Film Festival opens with Giddens Ko's new film |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/culture/202306220012 |access-date=23 June 2023 |agency=Central News Agency |date=22 June 2023}} Republished as: {{cite news |title=Film festival opens with Giddens Ko movie |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/06/24/2003802090 |access-date=24 June 2023 |work=Taipei Times |date=24 June 2023}}
Personal life
= Family =
In October 2014, Ko admitted to cheating on his girlfriend of nine years, Hsiao-nei,{{cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/movies/story/director-giddens-ko-admits-cheating-girlfriend-tv-reporter-refuses-apologise-|title=Director Giddens Ko admits cheating on girlfriend with TV reporter, refuses to apologise to public|date=23 October 2014|work=The Straits Times|accessdate=26 October 2014|url-access=subscription}} with television reporter Chou Ting-yu.{{cite news|last1=Lee|first1=Hsin-Yin|url=http://focustaiwan.tw/search/201410220030.aspx|title=Bestselling writer admits cheating on girlfriend|date=22 October 2014|accessdate=26 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027003159/http://focustaiwan.tw/search/201410220030.aspx|archive-date=27 October 2014|agency=Central News Agency}} [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/10/23/2003602725 Alt URL]{{cite news|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/entertainment/giddens-ko-admits-to/1430550.html|title=Giddens Ko admits to cheating on girlfriend|date=23 October 2014|accessdate=26 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027005750/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/entertainment/giddens-ko-admits-to/1430550.html|archive-date=27 October 2014|agency=Channel News Asia|df=dmy}} In early May 2015, Ko confirmed that his relationship with Hsiao-nei had ended.{{cite news|last1=Hsia|first1=Heidi|url=https://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/giddens-ko-breaks-girlfriend-nine-years-033700380.html|title=Giddens Ko breaks up with girlfriend of nine years|date=6 May 2015|work=Yahoo! News Singapore|accessdate=14 June 2015}} Ko and Chou began dating in March 2016;{{cite news|url=http://asianpopnews.com/giddens-ko-reconciles-with-third-party/|title=Giddens Ko reconciles with "third party"|date=23 June 2016|work=Asianpopnews.com|accessdate=14 July 2016}} they married in late 2017.{{cite web|url=https://tw.appledaily.com/new/realtime/20171206/1254208/|title=曾經的「真愛」破滅！九把刀耽誤小內10年被噓爆|website=蘋果日報|language=zh-TW|accessdate=December 6, 2017}} On 4 April 2020, Ko announced the birth of their first child, a girl.{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/apple-of-his-eye-taiwanese-director-giddens-ko-announces-birth-of-daughter|title=Apple of his eye: Taiwanese director Giddens Ko announces birth of daughter|last=hermesauto|date=2020-04-06|website=The Straits Times|language=en|access-date=2020-04-06}} Ko and his wife welcomed the birth of their second child, a daughter, in 14 July 2022.{{Cite news |last=Lim |first=Ruey Yan |date=2022-07-14 |title=More apples of his eye: Taiwanese director Giddens Ko welcomes second child |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/more-apples-of-his-eye-taiwanese-director-giddens-ko-welcomes-second-child |access-date=2024-01-22 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}
= Political views =
In October 2014 it was reported that Beijing had ordered works by Ko removed from shelves in China.{{cite news|last1=Frater|first1=Patrick|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/giddens-ko-among-authors-banned-by-china-in-hong-kong-political-reaction-1201328430/|title=Giddens Ko Among Authors Banned by China in Hong Kong Political Reaction|date=13 October 2014|work=Variety|accessdate=14 October 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Wang|first1=Ching-yi|url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/acs/201410120021.aspx|title=Books by Taiwanese writer allegedly banned by China|date=12 October 2014|accessdate=12 October 2014|agency=Central News Agency|last2=Chen|first2=Christie}} A few weeks previously, Ko had shaved his head to show solidarity for Occupy Central with Love and Peace, the organization that started the 2014 Hong Kong protests.{{cite news|last1=Tai|first1=Ya-chen|url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/acs/201410130015.aspx|title=Culture minister refrains from comment on China's ban on writers|date=14 October 2014|work=Central News Agency|accessdate=14 October 2014|last2=Chen|first2=Christie|last3=Wu|first3=Lilian}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||
| Year
! English title ! Original title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Full Count | 愛情兩好三壞 | Writer | Television series |
| 2009 | L-O-V-E | 愛到底 | Director, writer, actor | Segment "San sheng you xing" |
| 2011 | The Killer Who Never Kills | 殺手歐陽盆栽 | Original story | |
| 2011 | You Are the Apple of My Eye | 那些年，我們一起追的女孩 | Director, writer, actor | |
| 2013 | Machi Action | 變身 | Co-writer | |
| 2013 | Twelve Nights | 十二夜 | Producer | Documentary |
| 2013 | Kiss Me Mom! | 媽，親一下！ | Original story | Television series |
| 2014 | Café. Waiting. Love | 等一個人咖啡 | Producer, writer | |
| 2015 | Kung Fu | 功夫 | Director, writer, original story | |
| 2016 | The Tenants Downstairs | 樓下的房客 | Writer | |
| 2017 | Mon Mon Mon Monsters | 報告老師! 怪怪怪怪物！ | Director, writer, producer | |
| 2020 | A Choo | 打噴嚏 | Writer, producer | |
| 2021 | Till We Meet Again | 月老 | Director | |
| 2023 | Miss Shampoo | 請問，還有哪裡需要加強 | Writer, director |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=2|2011 | rowspan=2|48th Golden Horse Awards | Best New Director | You Are the Apple of My Eye | {{nom}} |
| Best Original Film Song | You Are the Apple of My Eye - "Those Years" (lyrics) | {{nom}} | ||
| rowspan=2|2012 | 31st Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan | rowspan=2|You Are the Apple of My Eye | {{won}} |
| 12th Chinese Film Media Awards | Best New Director | {{won}} | ||
| 2017 | 21st Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival | Audience Award | Mon Mon Mon Monsters | {{won}} |
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Portal|Literature|Taiwan}}
{{commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|3321182}}
{{Giddens Ko}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ko, Giddens}}
Category:21st-century Taiwanese writers
Category:National Chiao Tung University alumni
Category:Tunghai University alumni
Category:People from Changhua County
Category:Taiwanese film directors
Category:Taiwanese screenwriters
Category:Taiwanese film producers
Category:Taiwanese male writers
Category:20th-century Taiwanese writers