Taiwan’s rising emphasis on high-quality lifestyle has spurred a wave of new homegrown brands offering everything from premium accommodations to inventive cuisine.
The News Lens
Date: 2016/09/06
By: Matthew Fulco
Taiwan ranked as Asia’s third-happiest country behind Singapore and Thailand in a report released in
Photo Credit: Tricky Taipei/MétaFormose
March by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Overall, Taiwan came in 35th in the world, well ahead of arch-rival South Korea (58th), and up from 46th when the survey was first launched in 2012.
The report uses Gallup World Poll data to evaluate 156 countries and territories. Factors analyzed include GDP per capita, life expectancy, personal freedom, social support, and perceptions of corruption.
The results of the survey are indicative of a paradigm shift in Taiwanese culture. Put simply, lifestyle has become king. The island that was once the source of laments about pollution, gridlocked traffic, and marathon working hours is embracing a more enlightened way. Work-life balance, environmentalism, and craft beer are in. The six-day workweek (obligatory in most companies as recently as a decade ago), nuclear power, and all-you-can drink buffets stacked with fake alcohol – once a fixture of Taiwanese nightlife – are out. [FULL STORY]
