Entertainment
At least six major malls or landmark retail projects are expected to open in Kaohsiung over the next five years, as transport-oriented development and high-tech investment reshape the city’s commercial map, the Commercial Times reported. The new projects are expected to shift Kaohsiung’s department store market away from traditional single-district shopping areas and toward a multi-center model built around rail and MRT hubs.
Early-bird packages went on sale through the 7-ELEVEN ibon ticketing system on July 15. Each NT$938 package includes one wristband, five cocktail vouchers, and a limited-edition canvas bag. Tickets are sold by date, so buyers should confirm which day they plan to attend before purchasing, the bureau said.
Cijin Sunset Bar is the place to be for kite-watching and “adult beverages.” This Saturday, at the pop-up at Cijin Sunset Pop-Up, 1050 Cijin 3rd Road, according to the event listing, anyone wearing a bikini top can enjoy free drinks, and yes, the offer applies to both men and women.
The 2026 Cijin Kite Festival and Inflatable Water Park (2026旗津風箏節暨氣墊水樂園) will be held July 25-26 and Aug. 1-2 near the Love Gate (鍾愛之門), the Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau said.
Deputy Mayor Lin Chin-rong (林欽榮) previously said the site would include a rope climbing system, bouldering area, balance-bike and inline-skating practice areas, a parkour practice zone, and a pump track: a looping course with bumps and banked turns for balance bikes, scooters, and other small-wheeled activities.
Music festival Waterbomb, first launched in 2015 in Seoul, South Korea, is scheduled to hold a Kaohsiung edition on Sept. 12-13 at the plaza opposite Dream Mall (夢時代).
As the city’s concert economy draws more political attention, claims have circulated that local borough offices received “community benefit” tickets from concert organizers. The implication was that neighborhood representatives were receiving ticket benefits while residents were still dealing with noise problems.
KMT Kaohsiung mayoral candidate and Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) said the popularity of the 2026 Korean campus-conflict drama series known in Chinese as Iron Fist Education (鐵拳教育) reflects a deeper sense of frustration among Taiwan’s teachers.
The Xinflow Surfing Park (芯浪滑板衝浪水公園), will feature what the company describes as Taiwan’s first urban surf-skate attraction using wave-simulation technology.
The group is scheduled to perform three shows in Kaohsiung on Nov. 19, 21, and 22, marking a major pop-culture event for southern Taiwan and one of the city’s highest-profile international music bookings of the year.