5 MARTINDALE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE Taiwanese horror prior to the 1980s did not typically use identifiable elements from local folklore, notwithstanding a strong fascination with the occult and the supernatural among the Taiwanese (Boey, 2012). The same was true in Hong Kong, where, even though “Chinese folklore contains as many ghosts, demons, vampires, and assorted fiends as Western cultures,” there was no great tradition of supernatural creatures (O’Brien, 2003). As a result, this vast source of material remained largely untapped until Hong Kong filmmaker Sammo Hung directed Gui Da Gui (1980), a film that combined elements of comedy and the martial arts genre with traditional Chinese ghost lore. As Gui Da Gui achieved impressive commercial success, more directors began drawing from local and regional mythology to conjure antagonizing entities. Several factors led to this shift happening in Taiwan as well, including a growing interest in cultural preservation, the loosening of censorship laws, and the success of folklore-driven horror in neighboring markets. Today, nearly all contemporary Taiwanese horror films are adapted from local folklore, which is a distinguishing feature of the genre when contrasted with its international counterparts (Wu, 2024). The Tag-Along (directed by Cheng Wei-hao, 2015), for example, is based on an infamous Taiwanese urban legend. In 1998, a popular television show aired an episode where a group of hikers displayed an amateur film they recorded on one of their hikes in Taichung. Throughout the video, a little girl in red can be seen following the group, yet none of the hikers noticed her at the time. Following the episode’s airing, accounts and sightings of the little girl multiplied as people speculated her to be a môo-sîn-á, a mischievous spirit believed to dwell in the island’s forests and mountains. The film incorporates this legend into a contemporary horror narrative. The môo-sîn-á is reimagined as a creature that lures people to the wilderness by preying on their guilt and fear; in this case, the film’s protagonists have failed in their familial or social obligations. Through this adaptation, The Tag-Along transforms a localized folk belief into broader commentary on duty and the consequences of neglecting it. The Bride (directed by Lingo Hsieh, 2015) is based on the traditional Chinese practice of ghost marriage, where a deceased person is wed to a living individual or another deceased person. Historically, ghost marriages served to establish kinship ties between families (Topley, 2011). In contemporary practice, the ritual serves to ensure the deceased’s inclusion on the family altar alongside their ancestors, a privilege that unmarried individuals do not receive (Freedman, 1970). The film adapts this ritual into a horror narrative of a man coerced into a ghost marriage by the spirit bride’s family, only to face her vengeance when the ritual is unexpectedly interrupted. By centering this practice in its plot, The Bride transforms a familiar tradition into a source of horror, drawing on anxieties surrounding marriage, obligation, and the consequences of disrupting ancestral customs. Together, these films exemplify a broader trend in Taiwanese horror. Folklore is reinterpreted within modern contexts and used not only as a narrative device but also as a means of exploring broader societal concerns. Contemporary societal anxieties Traditional values in Taiwan are rooted in Confucianism, which emphasizes family loyalty, social hierarchies, and harmony. These staple values of Taiwanese society have dictated family dynamics, gender roles, and filial expectations. However, the urbanization and globalization of Taiwan, particularly in the twenty-first century, have led to an increasingly individualistic society where younger generations tend to prioritize autonomy, career, and romance over familial obligations and societal conventions. This conflict became prominent following Taiwan’s economic development in the 1960s and 1970s; at the same time, traditional cultural norms have continued to shape contemporary family patterns, resulting in increased tensions (Coombs & Sun, 1981; Yi & Chang, 2019). Audiences may look to film for addressing conflicting and shifting values. Taiwanese horror films therefore may resonate with local audiences by rooting in contemporary societal anxieties. Through the characteristic conflict of the self and the other, horror lends itself particularly well to depicting discord between traditional and modern values within a rapidly evolving Taiwan. In The Tag-Along, the supernatural threat is directly tied to neglecting traditional responsibilities. Wei, the film’s protagonist, prioritizes his career and relationship over caring for his grandmother. When she vanishes, Wei is forced to confront his guilt over their strained relationship, which left her vulnerable to the môo-sîn-á. The film reinforces this connection by later shifting focus to Wei’s girlfriend, Yi-Chun, who is haunted after expressing reluctance to marriage
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