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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Movies and TV devider Eric Chou lands first lead role in the Taiwanese series 'Fired Up'

Eric Chou lands first lead role in the Taiwanese series 'Fired Up'

Published Aug 18, 2026 05:03 pm
Eric Chou as Chou Lu-yung (HBO Max)
Eric Chou as Chou Lu-yung (HBO Max)
Mandopop singer Eric Chou has landed his first lead role in a TV drama, starring in "Fired Up!," a 12-episode coming-of-age series inspired by the hit webtoon "Itaewon Class."
Eric plays the role of Chou Lu-yung, who returns home after a personal tragedy to save his family’s restaurant and to uncover the truth behind his father’s death.
In an online interview, Eric shared that he went through three weeks of intense Chinese culinary training with Michelin-star chefs to prepare for the role.
"They spent a lot of time with us trying out different dishes, and we also did the three-cup chicken. It was quite challenging because we had to learn how to cut, we had to learn how to slice, and then we had to learn how to do the traditional cooking style typical of high-heat Chinese kitchens, and that's really interesting," Eric said in both English and Mandarin.
Eric is one of Mandopop’s biggest singer-songwriters; the series marks a significant milestone in his acting career.
When it came to preparing for his look in the series, Eric said the scar on his head helped in making him appear both aggressive and kind.
"Some might not see it outright because my hair is long, but for this series, I had to cut my hair so that it shows. We used it for this character because in his back story he got hurt during a fight back when he was still in high school. And it becomes something very personal for the character. So, I'm glad this scar got to be used," Eric said.
Apart from Chou, the series also stars Hong Kong actress Angela Yuen, as well as 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 as developer. Jayde Lin, Leo Chiang, and Lin Shiang-ling lead the production, while Kao Pin-chuan and Tseng Ying-ting serve as directors.
"Fired Up" is now exclusively streaming on HBO Max. 

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