Celebrity-Owned Shop / Where Zhang Xueyou’s Golden Melody Awards Trophy Is Displayed – Wu Jianheng’s Hidden Alley Café

Written by Lai Yanru

Amid the hustle and bustle of main roads, why not turn into a quiet alley? There you’ll find small bookstores, grocery shops, and heartwarming cafés and teahouses... The idol drama “Big Red Riding Hood and Little Wolf” produced by Dreamland Culture collaborated with 15 Taipei alleys and shops, using their settings for filming. Each spot has its own charm and character, well worth exploring. First, let’s take a look at the alleyway shops personally decorated by Wu Jianheng, A-Mei, Mayday’s Ashin, Vincent Fang, and Yao Yuanhao.


▲ Interior of Cross Café. (Photo provided by Dreamland Culture)
The Golden Melody Awards trophy of the “God of Song” Zhang Xueyou isn’t kept at home – it’s actually displayed at Cross Café (Cross café) in Taipei City for fans to admire. The café is run by DJ Wu Jianheng, who laughingly said, “Because of my work, I often receive CDs, small gifts, or meaningful mementos from fellow artists. It’s certainly delightful to ‘own’ them, but wouldn’t it be even better if more people could share in the joy?”

 
▲ Left: The Golden Melody Awards trophy gifted by Zhang Xueyou; Right: The gramophone gifted by Jay Chou. (Photo provided by Dreamland Culture)

 
▲ Left: Wedding invitation from Stanley Huang and Blackie Chen; Right: Items in the café’s collection. (Photo provided by Dreamland Culture)
“The little gramophone Jay Chou bought while filming ‘Initial D,’ as well as the wedding invitations from Stanley and Blackie, are all displayed in the shop to be shared with fans.” Always sentimental and cherishing meaningful items, Wu Jianheng said, “Artists from Japan and Korea often share their collections and gifts from fans by opening cafés. Over the years, I’ve built friendships with many artists and received numerous gifts, all of which hold great sentimental value. Through this, I’ve also seen the adorable sides of these stars – that’s the original idea behind opening this café.”

Aside from displaying items of special commemorative value, everything in the shop is “All you can buy.” Wu Jianheng hopes all collectibles remain in circulation so they can take on new life. “One customer once brought over a potted plant and, quite shyly, asked if they could trade it for a book in the shop. Without hesitation, I agreed to the swap. As long as the values are comparable, whether through purchase or exchange, I’m happy either way.”


▲ Memory Corner. (Photo provided by Dreamland Culture)


                  ▲ Aside from items of special commemorative value, everything in the shop is “All you can buy.” (Photo provided by Dreamland Culture)
Wu Jianheng is always so warm – not just toward friends and fans, but even toward a tree nearby. “During the initial stages of decorating the café, a breadfruit tree was uprooted during construction and left to the side, nearly dying. After I noticed it, I quickly asked friends and family how to revive it. After work one night, I rushed out to buy a new pot and replanted it. Thankfully, it survived!”

【Cross Café (Cross café)】
Phone: 02-27718281
Address: No. 23, Lane 91, Section 4, Ren’ai Road, Da’an District, Taipei City 106