Reviews

Interesting Taiwan History

This podcast is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn Taiwan history. The topics are varied and the hosts have a chemistry that keeps things moving along. You'll never be bored and it's amazing how much important history you will learn. I've listened to all of the English episodes and look forward to the new ones every week. Great work. Thanks for sharing your love for Taiwan in a format that is easy to listen to.

vtcafe
Nov. 12, 2024

Amazing

Read the title

I love my thoughts on
Nov. 5, 2024

Excellent Show

Very informative. Love listening to the shows.

wdsp69
Oct. 17, 2024

I absolutely love listening to Eryk and John's educational talks about Taiwan and its rich history

After living and working here for almost a decade, the podcast has been an invaluable resource. Formosa Files has given me a deeper understanding of the culture, language, and many of the lesser-known stories and traditions that I might not have discovered otherwise. It's also helped me connect more meaningfully with my in-laws, their traditions, and their upbringing. The format is easy to follow, and I really appreciate how they make complex topics engaging and accessible. The podcast has truly become my go-to for learning more about my new home.

Nick
Oct. 16, 2024

Great show

I backpacked around Taiwan for a month and this show was great in helping me learn about Taiwan before my trip. The fact that it is in both English and mandarin is so great. I really appreciate this program and its hosts.

shootthemoonmom
Oct. 5, 2024

Best Podcast on Taiwan

Great hosts who know their subject well. Interesting, informative, and history worth learning.

Kimball O’Hara
Sept. 26, 2024

Great show

Really enjoy this podcast and the range of the topics in particular. It’s nice to learn about Taiwanese history beyond solely the other side. The interviews are especially interesting.

oldstylegreats
Aug. 15, 2024

Appreciation of Formosa Files podcast

I have listened to the podcast for several years and learned a lot about Taiwan history. I look forward to each episode and enjoy them greatly. Thank you.

Peter Hanson
Aug. 14, 2024

A big Thank You

Really appreciate your efforts to tell us so many untold stories about my homeland, every episode I listened to so far is jaw dropping moments to know more about the hidden history of the island. Informative and Inspiring, please keep sharing, thank you.

德國家庭主婦
Aug. 10, 2024

Enjoyable Taiwanese History

Hosts Erik Michael Smith and John Ross are longtime residents of Taiwan. Although Taiwan is often in the headlines, especially now, few Americans know much about its history and its relationship to mainland China. Smith and Ross deliver entertaining and informative stories from centuries ago up to modern times. No knowledge of Chinese history is required as they always help the listener understand the context of their weekly stories. This is by far one of my favorite podcasts. Although I have visited Taiwan a number of times, I am always learning new pieces of its history from the hosts. They have also mastered the skill of balancing banter with covering the topic at hand. Too many podcasts are just vehicles for self-indulgent hosts, not this one. Tune in and discover loads about the fascinating subject of Taiwanese history.

agpbl
July 27, 2024

My go-to podcast on Taiwan

This is now my go-to podcast on both the history of and current happenings in Taiwan. I listen to each episode with great interest, and used it to plan my travels in Taiwan this past November 2023. I also enjoy the bantering between the 2 hosts, keeps it fun even when discussing serious topics. I highly recommend the podcast for anyone interested in the beautiful island.

Yueh Chuang
July 18, 2024

Why 119 in Taiwan?

Just listened to show number CH14 on “numbers in Taiwan”. I haven’t verified this but your query on why 119 is used in Taiwan instead of 911 like in the US. As your show had pointed out on many occasions, decades of Japanese colonial rule has left behind many influences and practices in Taiwan. Politicians wear banners and colored vests, take it lunch boxes are called “便當” (bento in Japanese 弁当, etc. well, in Japan, 119 is also the emergency number! So likely another legacy of Japanese colonial rule. Please check and confirm. (Btw, South Korea also uses 119 😉). Great show. Keep it going. Viva Taiwan! Viva freedom and democracy!

nvs3gf
July 18, 2024

Excellent podcast.

Speakers and topics are terrific.

Dona
July 10, 2024

Interesting Taiwan History

This podcast is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn Taiwan history. The topics are varied and the hosts have a chemistry that keeps things moving along. You'll never be bored and it's amazing how much important history you will learn. I've listen to all of the English episodes and look forward to the new ones every week. Great work. Thanks for sharing your love for Taiwan in a format that is easy to listen to.

vtcafe
July 8, 2024

Excellent program

“Formosa Files” is well-done, informative, and consistently fascinating

Scott Savitz
July 1, 2024

Amazing achievements of Taiwanese that I had no idea of

Excellent, vivid, in-depth, well researched.

Roberto
June 24, 2024

Outstanding podcast!

As informative as it is entertaining, been following it for more than a year, way before I came to live and study in Taiwan. Awesome podcast, great work!!!

Marcel Oppliger
June 22, 2024

Excellent history of a famous movuec

Great fantastic, very detailed history! Thanks

William jones
May 31, 2024

Interesting Taiwan History

This podcast is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn Taiwan history. The topics are varied and the hosts have a chemistry that keeps things moving along. You'll never be bored and it's amazing how much important history you will learn. I've listen to all of the English episodes and look forward to the new ones every week. Great work. Thanks for sharing your love for Taiwan in a format that is easy to listen to.

vtcafe
May 22, 2024

Love your podcast

謝謝這邊提供一個英文窗口讓全世界認識台灣，也認識台灣歷史！

NestaLin
April 26, 2024

A Thorough Historical Look INTO Taiwan

I love this podcast! I love Taiwan and I really want to live there but until I can, I really feel like John, Eryk and I are meeting for coffee (well they'd prob have beer!) and are friends of mine who know how fascinated I am with history, in particular Taiwan and Chinese History. The last two podcasts (the one that was a retrospective of John's experience of the earthquake 20 years ago and the one with CNN reporter Mike Chinoy who has the new book "Assignment China" were terrific. The one about the earthquake I actually felt comforted and inspired by since it showed how that 20 year ago earthquake actually helped the construction of new buildings get placed on a little more of an integrity basis. My other favorite podcast was actually about Evergreen. Since I love flying EVA Airlines I loved getting the background and inside scoop on that. I see the Evergreen shipping containers here in the USA and now, never had an awareness of them before. Super cool! Plus they keep me laughing with their ribbing each other. Super fun and great education for me. Thank you guys so much!

Virginia Vaquero (and her little dog Fluff! who also listens)
April 11, 2024

Fascinating

I almost can’t believe this podcast exists — it’s the only English-language show I’ve encountered that covers this material, and it’s good to boot! Listening to the Formosa Files has added depth and richness to my experience living in Taiwan. Thank you to all involved.

Alex
April 8, 2024

Insightful and well written podcasts on Taiwan-related history

I like all the podcasts I've listened to...This one is interested me because I didn't know that CKS, and the US for that matter, were so keen to forment a rebellion in Tibet 1959-60. Fascinating.

Gary Heath
March 2, 2024

Amazing podcast! Very entertaining.

This is THE podcast I listen to in my car while commuting to work daily. It teaches us about history and interesting facts about the island of Taiwan in a casual and fun way. Both hosts are very knowledgeable and their storytelling is very captivating and entertaining. Keep up the great work and spreading the history of Taiwan to our western audience. Greetings from sunny California!

Alexandre
Feb. 27, 2024

Wonderfully informative!

This is a well researched podcast on the history of Formosa which is present day Taiwan. Covering over 300 years of the island’s history, it is wide ranging in its scope and for someone who is Taiwan born who is already well versed in Taiwanese/Formosan history I have discovered plenty of new tidbits. Highly recommend listening to this podcast and not just if you’re interested in history, but especially the many episodes that cover the conflict with the mainland.

Aus Twilight Fan
Feb. 23, 2024

Thank You for this fantastic podcast!

What a wonderful podcast about Taiwan's history, culture and more! Love how informative yet entertaining all the episodes are, discussing the various topics about Taiwan in a very enjoyable way. What I love most: -The variety of topics you cover, and it was a great choice not to go in any chronological order. It keeps things interesting. -The co-hosts love for Taiwan is coming through so clearly - demonstrating that there is so much to learn and love about this Island and its people. -Appreciate the great amount of research done to create these episodes, distilled into 25-30 minute digestible, fun to be enjoyed by the listeners. Thank you John & Eryk - please keep them coming!

Emese B
Feb. 15, 2024

Linda Gail Arrigo interview was fantastic!

Hi, how can I obtain your unedited full length Linda Gail Arrigo interview? zanardi50@yahoo.com Thanks!

Bill Lee
Feb. 10, 2024

The best English podcast about Taiwan history

In order to prepare for my long-planned trip to Taiwan I tried to find relevant materials regarding Taiwan history both in written and audio forms. Luckily came cross this podcast in time! It provided tremendous tips and accents into my three-week-itinerary. Thanks to this podcast I was able to approach aboriginals, find the connection between today and the past, understand why Taiwan is Taiwan.

IceTulipNL
Feb. 1, 2024

Bringing Taiwanese history to your earphones: The Formosa Files podcast

The Formosa Files podcast is a highly accessible yet in-depth look at key events over the past 400 years, presented by John Ross and Eryk Michael Smith. The division of air-time is roughly equal. Oftentimes, it’s Smith asking questions and Ross giving answers. Neither lapses into lecture mode, but nor is there much idle banter. A great deal of information gets conveyed in the 25-plus minutes of each episode.

Steven Crook
Oct. 29, 2023

Taiwanese spymaster, 'murder of century,' Nixon groveling to Mao, and more from Formosa Files Formosa Files co-founder shares popular stories told on the Taiwan historical podcast

In an interview on June 1, Smith, who is also the ICRT Southern correspondent, talked about the inspiration for the show and its very first episode about a fake Formosan. He also shared excerpts of tales about Mao Zedong's (毛澤東) famous Taiwanese spymaster, the "murder of the century," the last Japanese soldier to hold out from WWII, and Richard Nixon's fruitless groveling to Mao. According to Smith, the book "Taiwan in 100 Books" was the impetus for the show, which is advertisement-free thanks to sponsorship by a foundation started by a former mayor of Kaohsiung. The show's first episode covered the story of a European man who was able to fool the courts of London for a time into believing he was a native of Formosa.

Keoni Everington
Oct. 29, 2023