Energy suspend performances till June 2026 after Shu-wei and Kunda investigated for military evasion

Taiwanese pop group Energy has announced they will suspend most of their performances until the end of June 2026, following investigations against two of their members for evading military conscription.

In an announcement on Instagram today (Oct 23), the band announced that Chang Shu-wei and Hsieh Kunda "admitted to making the wrong choice approximately 15 years ago and express deep regret", and that their company B'in Music will take appropriate actions based on the results of the investigation.

"We are deeply aware of the impact and disappointment this incident has caused the public and fans, and we will address this with the utmost caution and seriousness," the post continued. "We hereby announce that Energy will suspend all group public performances from now until June 30, 2026.

"During this period, the group will continue to participate in public welfare and charity activities that were committed to previously and will hold its Taipei Arena concert in January 2026 as scheduled to fulfil its promise to fans."

They apologised to their fans and expressed their apologies for the changes to various performance plans and collaborations.

Energy also said they would "assume full responsibility" for the incident and "look forward to rebuilding public trust through concrete actions".

The band, who made a comeback in 2023 after a hiatus of over a decade, was met with positive comments from their fans, with many saying they would wait for them and to "never say goodbye".

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'Deeply remorseful'

All eligible Taiwanese men aged between 18 to 36 must undergo compulsory military service. While the duration was previously four months, it has been extended to a year since January 2024.

Shu-wei, 44, had been previously exempted due to thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder where the body does not make enough haemoglobin. He admitted spending NT$150,000 (S$6,300) on forged medical records.

He was apprehended by the police on the morning of Oct 21 and is currently out on NT$500,000 bail.

Kunda, 43, was in Canada when the police visited his home, but Taiwanese media reported that he would be returning to Taiwan immediately to co-operate with investigations.

He had applied for exemption after suffering pneumothorax, a lung collapse, and getting surgery for it back in 2005.

His agency shared that Kunda had applied for the exemption 15 years ago "without careful consideration and recognition of his social responsibilities and failed to live up to the expectations of the public and his fans".

They added that Kunda feels "deeply remorseful", sharing: "He has reflected deeply on his mistakes and won't ask for forgiveness. He only hopes that after facing legal responsibilities, he can face every step in the future with caution and self-reflection."

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drimac@asiaone.com