What were Taiwanese people obsessed with in 2014? Japanese magazine: Thunder God Chocolate

▲What were Taiwanese people most crazy about in 2014? The answer is Thunder God Chocolate!(Photo / Fromthe official fan page of Yoku Seizo Co., Ltd.)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Looking back at 2014, do you know what fascinated Taiwanese people the most? The Nihon Keizai Shimbun compiled a list of “Asia’s Hottest Products and Services,” highlighting the most popular goods or services across 11 Asian countries last year — and the top spot in Taiwan was taken by “Thunder God Chocolate”!

The list was selected by resident reporters from the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. The “Thunder God Chocolate” craze that swept through Taiwan in 2013continued until around July of last year before starting to cool down slightly. Back then, the scenes of crowds queuing up to buy or even having to pre-order the product were widely reported by Japanese media. According to statistics, between August 2013 and July 2014 alone, sales of Thunder God Chocolate in Taiwan reached an astonishing 14.4 million packs.So, it's no exaggeration to say it was the hottest product in Taiwan for 2014.

▲YouBike has become an indispensable mode of transport for many commuters. (Photo / Taken by reporter Huang Shiyuan)

Coming in second place is the now-ubiquitous YouBike public bicycle rental system in the Greater Taipei area. It’s not only a new commuting and transit option for students and office workers, but the concept of public bike-sharing stations has gradually expanded across Taiwan. In addition to Taipei, cities such as Changhua, Lukang, Taichung, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung also have public bicycle rental systems. Usage in 2014 increased by 90%.

▲The blockbuster film “KANO” that captivated both Taiwan and Japan. (Photo / From the Fruit Film Fan Page)

Ranking third is the hit movie “KANO,” which drove a tourism boom in Chiayi last year. With box office earnings of approximately NT$350 million, it topped the 2014 Taiwan domestic film charts. It also attracted many fans to visit Chiayi, retracing the historic grounds where the Chiayi Agriculture and Forestry Baseball Team once trained and lived out their passionate baseball youth. The emotional moments from the film left a lasting impression. A statue of Wu Ming-Chieh was also erected at the central fountain in Chiayi City’s Rotary, where the baseball team used to run, ensuring that the glorious legacy of KANO will be remembered forever.

Other Asia-Pacific countries’ hottest products and services in 2014

China
1. The “Singles’ Day” online shopping promotion on November 11th, where Alibaba recorded a transaction volume of 57.1 billion RMB
2. Korean fashion trends
3. The movie “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” which achieved the highest box office revenue in China’s history

South Korea
1. Selfie sticks
2. Craft beer brand Klooud
3. Snack food Honey Butter Chips

India
1. Online shopping platform Flipkart
2. Chat app “WazApp,” India’s most popular messaging app with 70 million users
3. The newly launched Indian Super League, which drew 170 million viewers in its first week of October

Indonesia
1. Selfie stick Ton-cisse
2. Honda compact crossover vehicle Mobilio
3. Locally made Indonesian smartphones

Singapore
1. Ride-hailing app “GrabTaxi”
2. Singapore National Stadium
3. Online grocery shopping

Malaysia
1. Individual travel to Japan
2. Chinese-made smartphones such as Xiaomi
3. Malaysian-style schools

Thailand
1. Toyota Yaris compact car
2. Low-cost airlines launch direct flights to Japan
3. Renowned ramen shop “Ippudo” opens in Thailand

Philippines
1. H&M
2. Renowned ramen shop “Ippudo” opens in the Philippines
3. Brandy brand Emperador Gold certified as the world’s top-selling brandy

Vietnam
1. Aeon shopping complexes
2. Around 900 Vietnamese online stores held their first joint promotion on 12/5, resulting in 4–6 times more orders than usual that day
3. Mercedes-Benz sales hit a record high in the first half of 2014

Myanmar
1. Low-cost mobile carrier 0oredoo
2. Suburban residential area Star City, Myanmar’s first suburban housing development
3. Mobile banking services