Former actor and TV host Mark Chao used the "ghost month" meme involving his instant noodle brand to shoot a video, showcasing the PAMI concept to promote Taiwanese cuisine.

Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Family, compiled and reported

Mark Chao began conceptualizing the ad content earlier this year. He was personally involved in every step, from script ideation, casting, wardrobe fittings, rehearsals, to shooting. He meticulously directed the framing and performance of each scene, efficiently completing six videos in just three days. On his first time as a director, he especially enjoyed the spontaneous ideas that emerged from interactions with actors and locations—like when an extra passerby was needed for a scene, so he stepped in himself, creating an unexpected highlight. Though directing unpaid, he was instantly hooked, saying, “Filmmaking is so much fun; I want to try it again in the future.”

At the press conference, Selina Ren Jia-xuan showed up to support Mark Chao. Upon hearing he cooked the noodles himself during filming, she immediately shouted upon taking the stage, “Bro Chao, cook us some noodles!” leaving him both amused and touched. Mark Chao said he had invited Selina at very short notice, but she agreed without hesitation. “Our friendship really is tested and true.” To meet Selina’s expectations, Mark Chao demonstrated how to cook Zeng’s Instant Noodles on the spot. Selina, who has recently hosted a food show, played the role of sous-chef impressively, earning his admiration. Selina proudly said, “I do cook at home regularly.”

Zeng’s Instant Noodles has improved upon the wavy noodle shape of Guanmiao noodles. Made by pressing two layers together, the noodles undergo one compounding and eight rolling processes. The thinner parts absorb broth well, while the thicker parts offer a firm, chewy texture, and they don’t fall apart even after long cooking. The noodles are air-dried using a double-layer indoor sunlight room and a medical-grade multi-layer filtration system. It takes three full days to produce a single sheet of noodles. Mark Chao also revealed for the first time that in the 27 months since the launch of Zeng’s Instant Noodles, the amount of flour used could stack up to 13.4 Taipei 101 towers.

Zeng’s Instant Noodles enjoys astonishing annual sales. Not only is it in high demand domestically, but it has also been exported to eight regions overseas: Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, Malaysia, Paraguay, the Philippines, the United States, and Canada. Negotiations are also actively underway for Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Panama, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Regarding the future of Zeng’s Instant Noodles, Mark Chao said ambitiously, “When people think of Japan, they think of ramen. In the future, we want people to think of Taiwan and think of Zeng’s Instant Noodles.”