Cast of the film (from left): Megan Lai, Vivian Sung and Bruce promote the movie in Singapore Sunday.

Taipei, Aug. 25 (CNA) "Cafe. Waiting. Love," the new romantic comedy by Taiwanese writer and filmmaker Giddens Ko, is set to hit theaters in Malaysia and Singapore after brewing up success at the domestic box office.

Co-produced by Ko and adapted from his novel of the same title, the film will start showing in Malaysia on Aug. 28 and in Singapore on Sept. 4.

At a press conference in Singapore Sunday, the film's director Chiang Chin-lin said he hopes the movie illustrates how "everyone is waiting for someone."

Maegan Lai, who plays a barista in the film, told the press how she had to learn to make coffee for her role and ended up preparing every single cup that appears on screen.

"Cafe. Waiting. Love" follows the story of college girl Si-ying (played by newcomer Vivian Sung), who works part-time in a coffee shop and develops a secret crush on a frequent customer.

When she is not thinking about her crush, she hangs out with her wacky friend A-Tuo. As the film progresses, Si-ying begins to discover the story behind the coffee shop and its owner.

The film raked in an impressive over NT$100 million (US$3.33 million) at the Taiwan box office in its first week after its release on Aug. 15, according to Amazing Film Studio, one of the film's production companies.

It is currently showing in Hong Kong and Macau.

"Cafe. Waiting. Love" is the third novel of Giddens Ko to be adapted into a film.

In 2011, his novel-turned-film "You Are the Apple of My Eye" became a blockbuster in Taiwan and surpassed the 2004 Hong Kong film "Kung Fu Hustle" to become the highest-grossing Chinese-language movie in Hong Kong's history.

Ko's "Killer" series was also adapted that same year into "The Killer Who Never Kills," which failed to become a huge hit but earned a best newcomer prize for singer and lead actor Jam Hsiao in the Hong Kong Film Awards.

(By Christie Chen)
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Related:
●Aug. 23: Giddens Ko's new film soars at box office

Trailer of the firm, with English subtitles: