Men to jump into river in Kaohsiung love plan

By Ko Yu-hao / Staff reporter





The administration of Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) is to invite 50 men to jump into the city’s Love River (愛河) to express their determination to “fall in love” as part of its effort to promote Kaohsiung’s “love industry.”

The activity is to be held next month, with 50 life-vest-clad men to jump into the river while shouting “I love you” to their love interests, Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau Director Pan Heng-hsu (潘恆旭) said yesterday.

Pan said the bureau also plans to set up a “check-in point” for social media in front of the “Love-word” art installation by the river, where established hotel proprietors would serve meals for couples in accordance with the theme for next month — “lovers’ special meal.”

Visitors take in the sights on a boat tour of the Love River in Kaohsiung yesterday. Photo: Ko Yu-hao, Taipei Times

The events are the first stage of a bureau scheme to promote Kaohsiung’s “love industry” and transform it into a romantic city, which was one of Han’s key campaign platforms, Pan said.

Special activities would be held on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14, as “1314” is a homophone of the Chinese phrase — yi sheng yi shi (一生一世, “a lifetime”).

This month’s theme of “lovers’ suite,” with 12 hotels in the city to provide a limited number of themed suites today and tomorrow, including the Fullon Hotel Kaohsiung, the Chateau de Chine Kaohsiung, the Ambassador Hotel Kaohsiung and the Hi-Lai Hotel.

Participating hotels said that red wine and chocolates would be provided in suites to help create a romantic atmosphere, inviting the public to visit Kaohsiung to experience its love industry.

The city government is to set up a special program for Kaohsiung’s love industry, Pan said, adding that there are plans to create a theme song titled “Love River,” which would be promoted in China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Han also plans to meet with romance novelist Chiung Yao (瓊瑤) and invite her to be chief consultant for the city’s love industry program.

The city government on Thursday last week held a public hearing for the promotion of the love industry.

However, business proprietors have questioned whether Han is serious about the scheme.