Yao Chun-yao first came to public attention for his performance in the 2010 film "Au Revoir Taipei," later going on to host the long-running travel show "Stories in Taiwan," which earned him the award for Best Host of a Travel Program at the 51st Golden Bell Awards. Despite this success, though, Yao remained determined to make it as an actor, continuing the hard work of building a name for himself in that regard for a decade before finally being recognized for it at the Golden Bell Awards in 2020.
Yu Kuo-hsin's reading experience planted a seed in his heart, ultimately inspiring him to found Hoanya Books in 1999, a store that sells books on the land, history, environment, society, and culture of Taiwan, as well as to seriously consider the possibility of books as a conduit for social movements. In 2007, Yu was awarded the Ministry of Education's 2007 Social Education and Public Welfare Award for running a social movements-focused bookstore, giving free lectures, creating a non-mainstream arts and culture platform for the Yunnan-Chiayi-Tainan region, as well as initiating and planning a variety of arts and cultural events.