Former NCT Star Lucas Wong Makes Acting Debut in 'A Time'

By Elena Vasquez

Former NCT and WayV member Lucas Wong will make his acting debut in "A Time," a Taiwanese drama series tracing four decades of friendship against the backdrop of Taiwan's 1970s campus folk music movement. Director Tsao Jui-yuan unveiled the project at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF).

Tsao, whose credits include "Crystal Boys," "A Touch of Green" and "Seqalu: Formosa 1867," spent eight years developing the series. Written by Chi Hsi-lin, the story follows five friends after one of them, Si Mao, is injured diving into an empty swimming pool. As he lies in a coma for decades, the others confront love, guilt and personal struggles before reuniting as long-buried secrets surface.

Two generations of actors play the five friends at different life stages.

• Senior ensemble: Ning Chang (also a first-time executive producer), "Meteor Garden" star Jerry Yan, Chen Yi-han, Golden Horse best actor winner Wu Kang-ren and Liang Cheng-chun.
• Younger ensemble: Lucas Wong, Suri Lin, Fandy Fan, Iain Lu and Joseph Huang.

What did the director say?

"The starting point for this project was my desire to come to terms with my own youth," Tsao said. "I've always believed that campus folk music is one of the most important cultural IPs in contemporary Taiwan. Against that backdrop, I wanted to tell a story about youth, from youthful recklessness to the different stages of life."

Tsao likened casting the younger characters to searching for a needle in a haystack. He praised the five newcomers for their performances and commitment.

Why is Ning Chang an executive producer?

Chang was first approached to act, then took on the producing role. She described Tsao as an "actor scanner," able to detect even the slightest change in a performer's emotional state. Tsao said he invited her because of her resilience and commanding presence, qualities that reminded him of Kwak Sin-ae, the Oscar-winning producer of "Parasite."

"She's actually someone I look up to very much," Chang said.

Iain Lu, who plays the younger version of Chang's character, said Tsao demands total immersion. "If we lose focus or get distracted, even for a moment, he notices," Lu said.

How did Lucas Wong prepare?

Wong, the first Hong Kong-born artist to debut with South Korea's SM Entertainment, plays the younger Si Mao.

"Being able to work with such an outstanding cast on my first acting project taught me so much," Wong said. "I also learned diving, guitar and dancing for the role. This performance has been a very meaningful experience for me."

Joseph Huang, who plays the younger Mian Yang and comes from a musical family, said the dance movements challenged all five younger actors, "but we also really enjoyed being able to express ourselves through singing and dancing in addition to acting."

The five younger cast members performed the Taiwanese folk song "Seasonal Rain" at the press conference, recreating a dance sequence from the drama.

The production gathers more than 30 creative professionals honored by the Golden Horse, Golden Bell and Golden Melody awards, as well as international festivals. "A Time" is scheduled to premiere in 2027.