Taiwanese actors Hsiu Chieh-kai, Chen Bo-lin among those arrested for allegedly dodging military service

Taiwanese actors Hsiu Chieh-kai and Chen Bo-lin are among the latest group of celebrities detained by the Taiwanese authorities for allegedly dodging military service.

Taiwanese singer-actor Chang Shu-wei from Taiwanese boy band Energy, which made a comeback in 2024, and Taiwanese singer Jaydaone of Taiwanese boy band Lollipop F were also detained in the latest round on Oct 21.

The Taiwanese media said Hsieh Kun-da of Energy is also on the list, but he is away in Canada.

Five other non-celebrities are also on the list in the latest round of detentions, according to the Taiwanese media.

Hsiu, 42, had performed five months of alternative service in 2016 when his wife, Taiwanese actress Alyssa Chia, was pregnant with their second child. It was unclear what he was detained for.

The couple have two daughters aged eight and 10. Chia, 51, has a 20-year-old daughter from her previous marriage.

Hsiu is best known for starring in Taiwanese dramas such as Mars (2004) and Black & White (2009). He recently played Zhang Jinhe, the second son of a wealthy Peranakan family, in Mediacorp’s blockbuster series Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story (2025).

Chen, 42, is known for starring in Hong Kong movie The Twins Effect II (2004) and Taiwanese idol drama In Time With You (2011).

The actor, who starred in Taiwanese horror comedy Dead Talents Society (2024), was in Singapore to watch the Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix earlier in October.

This round of detentions is the third one after Taiwanese actor Darren Wang and several other male celebrities were arrested in February for allegedly dodging the island’s mandatory military service.

Wang, 34, and 27 others were charged in June for the offences.

CelebritiesActorsDefence and militaryTaiwan