{ "id": "ephq20qb00", "slug": "monga", "title": "Monga (艋舺)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery", "label": "Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery.2010-2014-films", "label": "2010–2014 films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery.2010-2014-films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery.2010-2014-films.crime-films.alpha-m-to-w", "label": "Titles M to W", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery.2010-2014-films.crime-films.alpha-m-to-w" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery", "label": "China · 2001 to 2020: Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery", "path": [ { "id": "geo.chn", "label": "China", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001", "label": "China · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery", "label": "Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Monga (艋舺) is a 2010 Taiwanese gangster film directed by Doze Niu, set in 1980s Wanhua, Taipei. It earned NT$260 million, won Golden Horse Best Actor for Ethan Ruan, and screened at Berlin's Panorama.", "snippet": "Monga (艋舺) is a 2010 Taiwanese gangster film directed by Doze Niu, set in 1980s Wanhua, Taipei. It earned NT$260 million, won Golden Horse Best Actor for Ethan Ruan, and screened at Berlin's Panorama.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery.2010-2014-films.crime-films.alpha-m-to-w", "markdown": "# Monga (艋舺)\n\n*Monga* (艋舺) is a 2010 Taiwanese gangster film directed by Doze Niu Chen-zer (鈕承澤), set in the 1980s in the Wanhua district of Taipei, historically known as Bangka or Monga, and following five teenage sworn brothers who join a local gang.[1](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/258) It was the most commercially successful Taiwanese film of 2010 and a landmark of the island's revived commercial cinema.[2](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director / writers | Doze Niu Chen-zer; screenplay by Niu and Tseng Li-ting[3](https://www.scmp.com/article/711404/monga) |\n| Running time / format | 140 minutes, 35 mm color[1](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/258) |\n| Setting | 1980s Bangka (Monga), an old Taipei borough now part of Wanhua District[4](https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2010/02/05/2003465223/) |\n| Budget | Raised from NT$30 million to NT$70 million including marketing, a large budget by Taiwanese standards[2](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf) |\n| Box office | NT$260 million islandwide; NT$116.3 million in Taipei, second among Taiwanese-language films in Taipei history at the time[2](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf) • [5](https://nhuir.nhu.edu.tw/retrieve/21730/100NHU05389003-001.pdf) |\n| Golden Horse Awards | Best Actor (Ethan Ruan) and Best Sound Effects (Tu Duu-chih) at the 47th Golden Horse Awards[6](https://movie.douban.com/awards/goldenhorse/47/) |\n| Festival | Screened in the Panorama section of the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival[7](https://funscreen.tfai.org.tw/article/9397) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Story and setting\n\nThe film opens with Mosquito (蚊子), a transfer student played by [Mark Chao](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-chao) (趙又廷), fighting school bullies over a stolen chicken drumstick. His agility attracts the attention of a campus gang, and he is recruited into the \"Prince Gang\" (太子幫) alongside Zhilong (志龍, Rhydian Vaughan 鳳小岳), the son of the temple-front boss Geta (馬如龍); Monk (和尚), the group's strategist, played by Ethan Ruan (阮經天); the fighter White Monkey (白猴, 蔡昌憲); and Ah Bo (阿伯, 黃鐙輝). The five swear brotherhood before the Buddha at Bangka's Zushi Temple and enter the gangster world.[2](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf) • [8](https://www.1production.com.tw/film_in.php?id=3)\n\nThe story is set in 1980s Bangka, an old Taipei borough now within Wanhua District, against a background of local gang rivalries.[4](https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2010/02/05/2003465223/) The South China Morning Post review places the narrative in 1986–87 and describes it as part history lesson, part mob tale, centered on the ties binding a group of sworn brothers.[3](https://www.scmp.com/article/711404/monga) In the plot's later stages, Monk, resentful of Geta and egged on by the gangster Wenqian (陳文謙, 王識賢), is drawn into a conspiracy that shatters the temple-front order.[9](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E8%89%8B%E8%88%BA/9257159) The Golden Horse festival synopsis describes the gang's forced entry into the adult world, the collapse of traditional order, and the district's descent into a violent power struggle.[1](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/258)\n\n## Origin and production\n\nThe project began with a 2004 phone call from the singer [Jay Chou](https://www.edgepedia.org/jay-chou), who proposed making a film about the era of Niu's youth and suggested the title *Monga*; Chou later withdrew before shooting, and the project stalled for about four years.[10](https://www.time-weekly.com/wap-article/7673) Producer Lieh Li (李烈) revived it after the success of *Cape No. 7* (2008) convinced her the market could support a fully commercial Taiwanese film.[2](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf)\n\nA commitment from Warner Bros.' Taiwan general manager to schedule the film for the [Lunar New Year](https://www.edgepedia.org/lunar-new-year) slot changed its fate: the budget grew from NT$30 million to NT$70 million, the two idol-drama stars Ethan Ruan and Mark Chao were cast, and the Hong Kong-trained Korean action director Leung Kit-yung, known for *Oldboy*, staged large street-fight sequences with streets in Wanhua closed for filming.[2](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf) The production rebuilt period sets in the historic Bopiliao (剝皮寮) area with support from the Taipei city government, and the resulting tourist interest was later cited as a successful case of city marketing.[2](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf) The crew also included sound designer Tu Duu-chih (杜篤之), production designer Huang Mei-ching, composer Sandee Chan, and cinematographer Jake Pollock.[7](https://funscreen.tfai.org.tw/article/9397)\n\n## Box office\n\nReleased on 5 February 2010, the Lunar New Year slot, *Monga* set a first-day record for a Taiwanese film with NT$18 million, and its islandwide total passed NT$100 million in six days, the shortest time any domestic film had reached that mark.[10](https://www.time-weekly.com/wap-article/7673) • [1](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/258) It finished with NT$260 million islandwide and NT$116.3 million in Taipei, ranking second among Taiwanese-language films in Taipei box-office history at the time, behind *Cape No. 7*.[2](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf) • [5](https://nhuir.nhu.edu.tw/retrieve/21730/100NHU05389003-001.pdf) The Taipei Film Commission records a return on investment of 188 percent.[11](https://www.filmcommission.taipei/retrieve/783c4df9f2084c8.pdf)\n\n## Awards\n\nAt the 47th Golden Horse Awards (2010), Ethan Ruan won Best Leading Actor and Tu Duu-chih won Best Sound Effects, while producer Li Lieh was named Outstanding Taiwanese Film Worker of the Year; the film was also nominated for Best Art Design and Best Original Film Score.[6](https://movie.douban.com/awards/goldenhorse/47/) • [1](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/258) Its other honors included Best Original Music and Best Art at the 2010 Asia-Pacific Film Festival, Best Art at the Taipei Film Festival, Best Asian Film at the Hawaii International Film Festival, and the Telia Best Film Award at the Stockholm International Film Festival.[8](https://www.1production.com.tw/film_in.php?id=3) In 2011 it was nominated for Best Asian Film at the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards, and Mark Chao won Best New Performer at the 5th Asian Film Awards.[9](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E8%89%8B%E8%88%BA/9257159)\n\n## Reception and controversy\n\nBefore release, some Wanhua residents protested that the film's depiction of 1980s gang violence and prostitution stigmatized the district, and threatened a boycott; producer Li Lieh responded that the film also portrayed the district's vitality, and director Niu said he hoped the film would boost tourism.[12](https://news.tvbs.com.tw/entertainment/152261) Critics generally treated the film as a successful commercial genre picture. The *Taipei Times* described it as an entertaining gangster story likely to appeal to younger audiences who view the underworld through rose-tinted glasses.[4](https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2010/02/05/2003465223/) The film critic Wen Tian-xiang (聞天祥) called it the most influential Taiwanese film of 2010, judging by box office, the trend it set, and the debate it provoked.[2](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf) On Douban it holds 7.7 out of 10 from about 292,000 users as of November 2025.[9](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E8%89%8B%E8%88%BA/9257159)\n\n## Significance for Taiwanese cinema\n\nBefore *Monga*, no Taiwanese production had entered the Lunar New Year theatrical slot for over twenty years; securing that release date a year in advance was itself treated in the Taiwanese press as a milestone for the local industry.[10](https://www.time-weekly.com/wap-article/7673) The film's success, following *Cape No. 7*, helped sustain the revival of commercial Taiwanese cinema, and the producer-centered system it demonstrated began to be adopted more widely in the Taiwanese film industry.[11](https://www.filmcommission.taipei/retrieve/783c4df9f2084c8.pdf) • [13](https://www-ws.gov.taipei/001/Upload/430/relfile/41653/7561488/7042265b-b098-471c-a73a-3db412f18cd6.pdf) Academic studies have since used the film to examine the representation of juvenile gangs and of gang masculinity in Taiwanese media.[14](https://lawdata.com.tw/tw/detail.aspx?no=318721)\n\n## References\n\n1. [艋舺 MONGA, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival archive](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/258)\n2. [2011 Taiwan Cinema Yearbook, Taiwan Film Institute (Wen Tian-xiang, \"2010: Monga and Taiwan Cinema's Four Exercises\"; Li Lieh interview)](https://www.tfai.org.tw/Content/TFI/PublicInfo/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E5%B9%B4%E9%91%912011%E5%B9%B4.pdf)\n3. [Monga, South China Morning Post review by Paul Fonoroff (15 April 2010)](https://www.scmp.com/article/711404/monga)\n4. [FILM REVIEW: What tangled webs they weave, Taipei Times (5 February 2010)](https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2010/02/05/2003465223/)\n5. [台灣影史賣座華語片表, National Chi Nan University thesis (2011)](https://nhuir.nhu.edu.tw/retrieve/21730/100NHU05389003-001.pdf)\n6. [第47届台北金马影展 (2010) 获奖名单, Douban](https://movie.douban.com/awards/goldenhorse/47/)\n7. [義氣至上的生猛青春：《艋舺》導演鈕承澤專訪, 放映週報 no. 244 (29 January 2010)](https://funscreen.tfai.org.tw/article/9397)\n8. [艋舺 Monga, 影一製作所 filmography](https://www.1production.com.tw/film_in.php?id=3)\n9. [艋舺（2010年钮承泽执导的动作片）, Baidu Baike](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E8%89%8B%E8%88%BA/9257159)\n10. [《艋舺》：\"史上最文艺\"黑帮片, 时代周报 (1 April 2010)](https://www.time-weekly.com/wap-article/7673)\n11. [臺北市電影委員會大事記 2010, Taipei Film Commission](https://www.filmcommission.taipei/retrieve/783c4df9f2084c8.pdf)\n12. [「黑道鬥、私娼竄」「艋舺」惹毛萬華人, TVBS News (30 November 2009)](https://news.tvbs.com.tw/entertainment/152261)\n13. [臺北市志・文化志文化傳播篇, Taipei City Government](https://www-ws.gov.taipei/001/Upload/430/relfile/41653/7561488/7042265b-b098-471c-a73a-3db412f18cd6.pdf)\n14. [電影《艋舺》少年幫派議題再現之研究, 月旦知識庫 (2017)](https://lawdata.com.tw/tw/detail.aspx?no=318721)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works) › 2010–2014 films › Titles M to W*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/monga", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/monga.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Monga (艋舺)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/monga. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Monga (艋舺)](https://www.edgepedia.org/monga)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/monga](https://www.edgepedia.org/monga). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Monga (艋舺)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/monga. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Monga is a 2010 Taiwanese gangster film directed by Doze Niu, set in 1980s Wanhua, Taipei." }