PUBLISHED ONOctober 21, 2025 11:07 AMBYYeo Shu HuiTaiwan showbiz was shaken this morning (Oct 21) by the detainment of well-known celebrities including actors Hsiu Chieh-kai and Chen Bolin and Energy's Chang Shu-wei in the authorities' third wave of crackdowns on draft evasion.
Various details of their arrests and their responses have been revealed as they undergo investigation at the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office.
Chieh-kai was reportedly arrested at his Taipei home at 8am this morning and was calm when he was brought away.
The 42-year-old, who starred in local period drama Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story earlier this year, had previously admitted to the police that he spent NT$150,000 (S$6,300) to forge medical records claiming he had high blood pressure to avoid military service.
Despite that, Chieh-kai was eventually granted alternative military service and enlisted when he was 33 years old. He was discharged five months later when his actress wife Alyssa Chia became pregnant with their third child, as per regulations.
Alyssa, who is currently filming in China, responded to Chieh-kai's detainment through her agency, sharing that he will co-operate with the investigations. She also shared that because the police entered their home this morning and "handcuffed" him, their children were "in shock".
According to Taiwanese media, the police responded to Alyssa's allegations, explaining they had conveyed the purpose of their visit privately to him, before asking him to contact a nanny.
To ensure that the children didn't witness his arrest, the police brought him out of their home before cuffing him outside.
Chieh-kai left the prosecutor's office later this afternoon, thanking the reporters but avoided most of their questions. He is currently out on NT$500,000 bail.
When police showed up at Shu-wei's residence this morning, he reportedly told them he knew this day would come and admitted he was "too scared to surrender before".
The 44-year-old had previously been exempted from the military due to thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder in which the body does not make enough haemoglobin. He admitted spending NT$150,000 on forged medical records.
He is currently out on NT$500,000 bail.
His fellow Energy bandmate Kunda, 43, was not at home this morning when the police turned up. His actress wife Alice Ko reportedly told police he was in Canada for work and would only return 10 days later.
In 2005, he was admitted to hospital for pneumothorax and had undergone surgery. He was exempted from military service subsequently.
Taiwanese media reported that Kunda cancelled his work immediately after he was informed of his impending detainment and will be returning to Taiwan immediately to co-operate with investigations.
His agency also 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 said Kunda feels "deeply remorseful", adding: "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."
Pop group Energy, who made their comeback in 2023 after being on hiatus for more than a decade, was initially scheduled to perform in Taiwan on Oct 31, with other pending performances in China and Taiwan in November and next January.
In response to the detainment of two of the members, their agency B'in Music said in a statement that they value the integrity and professional ethics of their artistes. They respect the law and will evaluate and adjust the artistes' performance and work schedules based on the investigations.
Bolin was reportedly with a female acquaintance when the police visited his residence this morning, according to Taiwanese media.
The 42-year-old actor, who is known for his performances in Taiwanese series including In Time with You (2011) and Breeze By The Sea (2024), had dodged military service in 2011 when he publicly revealed he had asthma and blood pressure issues. He reportedly spent NT$100,000 to purchase medical records.
When he was detained today, he allegedly told the police that when actor Darren Wang was detained in February for dodging military service, he was already mentally preparing for his impending arrest.
He added that when actor Daniel Chen and Lollipop F's William Liao were under investigation in the second wave of the crackdown, he had waited for the police to turn up at his door.
Bolin also allegedly said he had not been sleeping well recently because he didn't know when the police would arrest him and felt relieved when they showed up today.
As he left the prosecutor's office this evening, he gave a brief statement: "I am thankful to the investigators and police officers for allowing me to face the foolish decisions I made in my youth. I respect the law and will co-operate with the investigations."
He is out on NT$500,000 bail.
Taiwanese media also reported that in the past eight months, 15 celebrities have been arrested for evading military service, with most having forged their health conditions — including spinal, heart, blood and bone diseases — years ago.
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