Paradise in Service (2014): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2014, Paradise in Service is a drama, romance and history film directed by Doze Niu Cheng-Tse, running about 133 minutes.

What it’s about. Set in the island Kinmen, often seen as the most dangerous military base because it’s geographically close to China, "Paradise in Service" follows the adventure of a boy who serves his military service in Unit 831 from 1969 to 1972, in preparation for a war that could erupt anytime. Through an unlucky lottery draw result, Pao, a twenty-something young man from Southern Taiwan has to serve the military in the remote and perilous Kinmen. Moreover, he is assigned to the Sea Dragon (ARB), a unit noted for the toughest physical training. It never occurs to Pao, however, that the greatest challenge in his military service lies not in the Sea Dragon but in Unit 831, a special task he is later appointed to… In this peculiar assignment, Pao vows to keep his virginity against all odds.

Who’s in it. Paradise in Service stars Ethan Juan as Lo Pao-Tai, Ivy Chen as Jiao(as Yi Han Chen), Wan Qian as Nini and Chen Jianbin as Chang, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.7/10, Paradise in Service has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on AsianCrush. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Paradise in Service page.

If you liked it. Fans of Paradise in Service tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.