TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Representative to Finland Freddy Lim (林昶佐) told Finland’s national broadcaster that Taiwan’s “rebellious gene” drove its rise from dictatorship to democracy, CNA reported.
Lim said to Svenska Yle that life under martial law shaped his passion for heavy metal and freedom. He said music helped him express anger under political repression.
He recalled his early connection to Finnish bands such as Nightwish and Children of Bodom, which later led to collaborations when he founded the band Chthonic. His ties with Finland deepened through tours and music projects.
“I could never have imagined becoming Taiwan’s representative to Finland,” Lim said. He said it is a meaningful continuation of those connections with Finland.
The Finnish media also pointed out Taiwan’s transition from authoritarianism to one of the world’s strongest democracies. Lim said Taiwan’s rebellious spirit proves the country can meet, even surpass, global standards despite external pressure.
In another interview with Finnish show “Efter Nio,” Lim reflected on Taiwan’s White Terror era under the KMT’s authoritarian regime. He said KMT’s Mandarin monolingual policy distanced him from his grandmother.
Lim once helped his father buy banned books and later realized how political repression had shaped his youth. His guilt over lost culture drove him to make an effort to preserve Taiwan’s national languages.
Lim hailed Finland as a country that values inclusivity, saying Taiwan could learn from it. He added that Taiwan’s democracy thrives because its people refuse to yield, even under China’s constant threats.