Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Strange Nature Gin from New Zealand, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.
ASIA PACIFIC. Today’s selection of images comes courtesy of Ever Rich Duty Free and the inauguration of a world-first Taiwan Pop Music Gate Lounge at Taoyuan International Airport on 30 April.
The gate C7 lounge under the theme ‘Echoic Memory of Taiwan’ is designed to showcase the past, present and future of Taiwanese pop music.
The section honouring the past features a nostalgic large cassette player displaying evocative pop songs and scenes from Golden Melody Award-winning moments, reflecting the history of Taiwanese pop music.
The modern section includes a mini concert stage where travellers can take photos. The ‘future’ section incorporates technological elements including a BeiLiu 5 Cloud TMC-CL1 sampler, which was developed by Taipei Music Center, allowing travellers to create their own pop music compositions in less than three minutes.
Attendees at the opening ceremony included Ministry of Culture Deputy Minister Wang Shisi; Chinese Cultural Association General Secretary Li Houqing; Taoyuan International Airport Corporation Chairman Yang Weifu; Taoyuan International Airport Corporation General Manager Fan Xiaolun; Ever Rich Duty Free President Kevin Chiang; Taipei Music Center CEO Liang Xulun and Ye Zhanyun, General Manager of KK Company Technologies music streaming division.
Taiwanese singer and Golden Melody Award winner Enno Cheng performed three songs for the landmark inauguration at the airport. In an emotional address she said that music serves as “both takeoff and landing”, allowing listeners to embark on a spiritual journey.
Kevin Chiang noted Ever Rich’s contribution to planning and creating airport facilities, including seating areas with art installations and its 24 themed gate lounges, in collaboration with artists, musicians and academics.
Through this work, he added, the airport is transformed into an artistic creation platform, featuring themed lounges based on various Taiwanese creative and cultural concepts.
With this latest project, he said Ever Rich seeks to introduce interactive experiences that allow travellers to relax in a musical atmosphere while experiencing Taiwanese pop hits and even creating their own personalised music choices.
Speakers at the event thanked Taoyuan International Airport Corporation and Ever Rich, and extended appreciation to the Ministry of Culture for providing valuable visual resources to enrich the lounge.
Representing the airport company, Yang Weifu highlighted Taoyuan International Airport’s role as a gateway, with each terminal boasting its own unique features and praising the new lounge as a world first.
He thanked Ever Rich for investing, without regard to cost, in the construction of public service spaces, and sharing a belief in presenting Taiwanese cuisine, culture and other specialities to travellers in various ways, allowing them to spend their time more enjoyably at the airport.
To allow more travellers to experience the richness and charm of Taiwanese music, four cultural experience events will be held in the lounge during May. Travellers can experience live DJ performances showcasing the mixing and sampling of the Taipei Music Center as well as guitar performances by selected bands. ✈
