# Mama Boy
**Mama Boy** (初恋慢半拍, literally "first love, half a beat slow") is a 2022 Taiwanese romantic drama directed by Arvin Chen, starring Kai Ko as a shy 29-year-old who falls for an older woman, played by [Vivian Hsu](https://www.edgepedia.org/vivian-hsu), who works as the assistant manager of a love hotel[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017). It was the opening film of the 2022 Taipei Film Festival and was released in Taiwanese theaters on 26 August 2022[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017) • [2](https://english.culture.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=8F944957712BA2B8&s=4E9B6BF3D65E934C&sms=C92E426BF93198C1).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original title | 初恋慢半拍 (Mama Boy)[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017) |
| Director | Arvin Chen (陈骏霖), Taiwanese American filmmaker[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017) • [3](https://www.filmlinc.org/films/mama-boy/) |
| Cast | Kai Ko (Xiao-hong), Vivian Hsu (Le-le), Yu Tzu-yu (Mei-ling), Fandy Fan (Wei-jie), Hou Yan-xi[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017) |
| Release | 26 August 2022 in Taiwan; 98 minutes; Mandarin; distributed by 甲上娱乐[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017) |
| Festivals | Opening film, 2022 Taipei Film Festival; in competition at the 24th Udine Far East Film Festival; selected for the 2022 New York Asian Film Festival[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017) • [2](https://english.culture.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=8F944957712BA2B8&s=4E9B6BF3D65E934C&sms=C92E426BF93198C1) |
| Production | Filmagic Pictures (奇幻娱乐国际股份有限公司); producer Aileen Li (李耀华); screenplay by Sunny Yu (于玮珊) and Arvin Chen[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017) |
| International sales | Distribution Workshop (BVI) Limited[4](https://www.screendaily.com/news/distribution-workshop-picks-up-arvin-chens-mama-boy/5158047.article) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Xiao-hong (小洪, played by Kai Ko) is a gentle, good-looking 29-year-old who works in an aquarium and has never had a girlfriend. He lives with his mother Mei-ling (于子育), whose overprotectiveness, habitually directing every part of his life, has left him lacking in confidence and somewhat socially awkward[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017). After a failed blind date, his cousin takes him to a love hotel to lose his virginity; Xiao-hong flees the room but there meets Le-le (乐乐, Vivian Hsu), the hotel's assistant manager[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017) • [5](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/%E5%88%9D%E6%88%80%E6%85%A2%E5%8D%8A%E6%8B%8D/umc.cmc.7jc7fckpdwvzkqwkz3xscgtu7).
Xiao-hong begins calling the hotel to book Le-le's services but, once there, "does nothing"; when Le-le learns how he is spending his money, she discovers he is the same age as her own son and invites him out for a late-night meal[5](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/%E5%88%9D%E6%88%80%E6%85%A2%E5%8D%8A%E6%8B%8D/umc.cmc.7jc7fckpdwvzkqwkz3xscgtu7). Le-le, seemingly strong and cheerful, carries her own burden: a brief early marriage, after which she did not know how to face her child and sent her son Wei-jie (伟杰, Fandy Fan) back to his grandmother, leaving mother and son estranged[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017). As the two grow close, Mei-ling discovers the relationship and angrily demands they break up, even reporting the hotel to the authorities, while Wei-jie beats Xiao-hong over the affair; under this pressure the couple must decide whether to stay together[5](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/%E5%88%9D%E6%88%80%E6%85%A2%E5%8D%8A%E6%8B%8D/umc.cmc.7jc7fckpdwvzkqwkz3xscgtu7).
## Production and release
Arvin Chen, a Taiwanese American director, returned to feature filmmaking with Mama Boy nearly a decade after *Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?* (2013); his earlier romantic comedies *Au Revoir Taipei* (2010) and *Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?* both premiered at the Berlin Film Festival[3](https://www.filmlinc.org/films/mama-boy/) • [4](https://www.screendaily.com/news/distribution-workshop-picks-up-arvin-chens-mama-boy/5158047.article). Taipei-based Distribution Workshop picked up international rights to the film while it was still in post-production[4](https://www.screendaily.com/news/distribution-workshop-picks-up-arvin-chens-mama-boy/5158047.article).
[Principal photography](https://www.edgepedia.org/principal-photography) took place in March 2021, with the Wensheng police station among the listed shooting locations[6](https://www.filmassist.ntpc.gov.tw/film/1060). The film was produced by Filmagic Pictures with a group of Taiwanese co-production companies, and released domestically by 甲上娱乐[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017). It was chosen as one of the ten most anticipated Asian films at the Hong Kong FILMART market, alongside [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://www.edgepedia.org/hirokazu-kore-eda)'s *Broker* and [Park Chan-wook](https://www.edgepedia.org/park-chan-wook)'s *Decision to Leave*, and had its world premiere in competition at the 24th Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy[7](https://scdnews.com/images/paper/220422/220422D.pdf).
## Festival run and reception
Mama Boy opened the 2022 Taipei Film Festival, where it also competed in the Taipei Film Award narrative feature section[2](https://english.culture.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=8F944957712BA2B8&s=4E9B6BF3D65E934C&sms=C92E426BF93198C1) • [8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRyQ78ekyM8). It screened at the 2022 New York Asian Film Festival, presented at Film at [Lincoln Center](https://www.edgepedia.org/lincoln-center) from July 15 to 31, 2022, and at the San Diego Asian Film Festival the same year[3](https://www.filmlinc.org/films/mama-boy/) • [9](https://sdaff.org/2022/movies/mama-boy/). Film at Lincoln Center's program notes praised Chen for de-glamorizing his cast into quotidian characters and for a story painted with a vibrant palette and punctuated with moments of magical realism[3](https://www.filmlinc.org/films/mama-boy/).
The film's Taiwanese theatrical run was modest: Taipei box office reached 2.65 million New Taiwan dollars as of 18 November 2022[10](https://app2.atmovies.com.tw/film/fmtw55481111/). DramaQueen reported that the film later became available on Disney+ in Taiwan[11](https://www.dramaqueen.com.tw/tvshow/Mama%20Boy.html).
## Notes on sources
Runtime is listed as 98 minutes by Taiwan Cinema, the database of Taiwan's Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development[1](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017), while Film at Lincoln Center lists 99 minutes[3](https://www.filmlinc.org/films/mama-boy/).
## References
1. [初戀慢半拍, Taiwan Cinema, Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development, MOC](https://taiwancinema.bamid.gov.tw/Film/FilmContent/?ContentUrl=89017)
2. [2022 Taipei Film Festival, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government](https://english.culture.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=8F944957712BA2B8&s=4E9B6BF3D65E934C&sms=C92E426BF93198C1)
3. [Mama Boy, Film at Lincoln Center](https://www.filmlinc.org/films/mama-boy/)
4. [Distribution Workshop picks up Arvin Chen's 'Mama Boy', Screen Daily](https://www.screendaily.com/news/distribution-workshop-picks-up-arvin-chens-mama-boy/5158047.article)
5. [《初戀慢半拍》, Apple TV (Taiwan)](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/%E5%88%9D%E6%88%80%E6%85%A2%E5%8D%8A%E6%8B%8D/umc.cmc.7jc7fckpdwvzkqwkz3xscgtu7)
6. [初戀慢半拍, New Taipei City Filming Assistance Center](https://www.filmassist.ntpc.gov.tw/film/1060)
7. [台灣影視 Daily News, 美南日報, 22 April 2022](https://scdnews.com/images/paper/220422/220422D.pdf)
8. [2022台北電影節開幕片《初戀慢半拍》, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRyQ78ekyM8)
9. [MAMA BOY, 2022 San Diego Asian Film Festival](https://sdaff.org/2022/movies/mama-boy/)
10. [初戀慢半拍 Mama Boy, 開眼電影網](https://app2.atmovies.com.tw/film/fmtw55481111/)
11. [《初戀慢半拍》(Mama Boy), DramaQueen電視迷](https://www.dramaqueen.com.tw/tvshow/Mama%20Boy.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of 2021 to 2022*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license