Taiwan's 'The Taiwan Travelogue' Wins International Booker Prize, with Manga and Musical Adaptations in Progress

(CNA reporter Chiu Tso-yin, Taipei, 20th) The novel 'The Taiwan Travelogue' has won the 'International Booker Prize,' and adaptation plans for a manga, musical, and TV series are also moving forward simultaneously. Spring Hill Publishing stated that the manga version is expected to be serialized on platforms in Taiwan and Japan by the end of the year, while the musical is scheduled to debut in the second half of next year. The award ceremony for the prestigious English literary event, the 2026 International Booker Prize, was held in London on the evening of the 19th, with the award going to 'The Taiwan Travelogue' by author Yang Shuang-tzu and translator Jin Ling. This is the first time a Taiwanese literary work has received this award. Chuang Jui-lin, editor-in-chief of Spring Hill Publishing, said in a long-distance telephone interview with CNA that the novel 'The Taiwan Travelogue' has been licensed to Gaea for a manga adaptation, to be drawn by Golden Comic Award winner 'Monday Recover.' It is currently in the storyboarding phase and is planned for 4 volumes, with 'each volume likely presenting two stories.' Serialization is expected to start by the end of the year, with a print volume likely next year. Chuang Jui-lin said that to help the manga artist understand the characters, Yang Shuang-tzu reorganized the character profiles for reference, but also repeatedly reminded her not to feel pressured and that she 'can feel free to do her own creation.' Chuang said that Yang Shuang-tzu's respect for the creator's creative space is her consistent attitude towards adaptations. In fact, this is not the first collaboration between 'Monday Recover' and Yang Shuang-tzu; she adapted another of Yang's works, 'The Strange Tale of the Flower Story,' which was just published this February, with its gorgeous art style adding deep and romantic feelings to the 'yuri' female-female romance. Interestingly, Yang Shuang-tzu publicly stated at last year's Taipei International Book Exhibition that she has seen many works adapted beyond recognition. As a child who grew up reading Jin Yong's novels and watching countless adaptations, she could accept many of the Jin Yong adaptations, 'so what can I say?' However, there is one line that must not be crossed: the gender of the characters must not be changed. A combination like 'Aoyama Shotaro + Wang Qianhe' (one of the protagonists, Aoyama Chizuko, is female) is absolutely unacceptable to Yang Shuang-tzu. Regarding the musical, Chuang Jui-lin said it will be produced by musician Wang Hsi-wen, a multiple Golden Horse and Golden Melody Award nominee. Casting and other details are still undecided, and it is expected to be performed in the second half of next year. The TV series part is still in the script development stage, and the production team is continuously seeking cooperation opportunities with other platforms. After receiving the award, Yang Shuang-tzu and Jin Ling have been busy with interviews and official visits. After returning to Taiwan on the 26th, they are scheduled to depart for Korea to part