Freddy Lim, former lawmaker and longtime frontman of metallic band Chthonic, has been appointed Taiwan’s new ambassador to Finland.
His appointment brings collectively Lim’s twin passions for politics and heavy metallic, connecting two nations with deep roots in each.
Nowhere is metallic extra mainstream than maybe in Finland, which boasts the best variety of heavy metallic bands per capita on the planet, roughly 80 for each 100,000 folks, in keeping with the Encyclopaedia Metallum.
The style is a nationwide obsession, embraced throughout generations and woven into on a regular basis life, even in class curriculums.
In 2006, Finland made historical past when Lordi grew to become the primary heavy metallic band to win Eurovision with their hit “Arduous Rock Hallelujah”.
Festivals like Tuska in Helsinki and Steelfest in Hyvinkää draw tens of 1000’s of followers and bands like HIM, Youngsters of Bodom and Nightwish have change into cultural exports.
Lim’s connection to Finland predates his diplomatic appointment. His band Chthonic, typically known as the “Black Sabbath of Asia”, has signed with Finnish label Spinefarm/Common, in keeping with music publication Theprp, and toured extensively throughout the nation. Lim, together with his band, has carried out in a number of Finnish cities and even toured with acts like Ensiferum, Turisas, and Korpiklaani.
Whereas Lim’s musical credentials have drawn vital curiosity internationally, his appointment stems simply as a lot from his political and human rights report.
From 2010 to 2014, he served because the chair of Amnesty Worldwide Taiwan, collaborating in international human rights initiatives and dealing carefully with counterparts in Finland, Sweden, and Germany.
He additionally championed transitional justice, advocating for the declassification of paperwork from Taiwan’s authoritarian previous.
In a 2023 interview with Kulturaustausch, he mirrored on the political significance of Taiwan’s artistic freedom. “Our area accommodates many authoritarian regimes and the cultural sphere is strongly influenced by this conservative and oppressed tradition,” he mentioned. “However in Taiwan, it’s doable [to create freely], which is why the musical scene thrives and can also be very various.”
He went on to discovered the New Energy Occasion in January 2015 and served two phrases in Taiwan’s legislature between 2016 and 2024, changing into the primary heavy metallic musician on the planet to enter a nationwide parliament.
By means of his legislative profession, Lim championed landmark laws that made Taiwan the primary nation in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, pushed for stronger protections for indigenous rights and advocated for humanitarian assist to Ukraine.
“Working with Finnish music trade companions for a very long time has all the time made me have a particular affection for this nation,” Lim mentioned in a Fb put up on Monday.
“I’ll proceed to work on these strong foundations to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between Finland and Taiwan, to profit the 2 peoples, and to realize stronger assist from Finland for Taiwan. There isn’t any magic in diplomacy, simply going all out and transferring ahead.”
