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presses deep admiration for her dedication over the past five years. %u201cShe%u2019s willingly poured her decades of industry experience, networks, and expertise into the operations of TMC, and that%u2019s truly rare.%u201d Ju affirms that in addition to fulfilling its public mandate from the Taipei City Government, TMC has also actively pursued market-oriented initiatives. From passing down experience and cultivating talent to fostering industry exchange, the center has demonstrated a strong sense of mission.He believes TMC will continue to drive growth across the content industry, not only as a training ground for future professionals, but also as a vital cultural symbol for the city of Taipei.Huang responded by expressing her gratitude for the strong, long-term support from the Ministry of Culture and the Taipei City Government. As the first local administrative legal entity dedicated to advancing the pop music industry, TMC has benefited greatly from this backing. Today, TMC and the Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government operate in a partnership-like relationship. Commissioner Shih-Ping Tsai explained that the Department is responsible for shaping overall cultural policy, while TMC plays the role of implementing and deepening that policy. Take the %u201cTRENDY TAIPEI%u201d event launched in 2024 for example: TMC curated a series of programs under the %u201cTAIPEI MUSIC EXPO,%u201d which aligned with three core themes: industry forums, concert economics, and city-driven initiatives. Tsai added that in planning the content of these events, the department relied heavily on the professional expertise of the TMC team: %u201cIn my discussions with the TMC team, I gained a great deal of insight into the inner workings of the industry.%u201dIn 2025, with all of TMC%u2019s venues officially in operation, Tsai witnessed firsthand how the concert economy was breathing new energy and momentum into the city. He recently attended a concert by Anna Lin, who rose to fame more than thirty years ago with the hit song. The performance drew a large crowd of longtime fans. As the show ended, another wave of concertgoers, mostly younger listeners, was spilling out from a separate venue where %u00d8ZI had just wrapped up his own performance.%u201cThe image of two generations brought together by music in the same space moved me deeply.%u201d Tsai said. %u201cTMC isn%u2019t just preserving music history; it%u2019s also nurturing the next generation. With performance spaces of different sizes and scales, Taipei%u2019s live concert ecosystem is finally connecting. That moment was truly a beautiful one.%u201dRepositioning Pop Music and Bridging GenerationsAt the founding of TMC, Chairperson Huang sought the guidance of Dr. Jing-Jyi Wu, a key figure in Taiwan%u2019s theater scene. Wu pointed out that Taiwan once held a pivotal position in the Mandarin pop music market, and that maintaining this influence would require internationalization. He shared his own observations on cultural trends: %u201cThe concept of globalization is increasingly being questioned Sense & Sound: Five Ways into Taiwanese Pop Music