TAIPEI (TVBS News) — As dawn broke over Taipei Railway Station (台北車站) on Thursday (March 13), actor Darren Wang (王大陸) joined the ranks of young Taiwanese men fulfilling their patriotic obligation, beginning his mandatory military service under the cloud of serious legal allegations. The 33-year-old star, known for his charismatic on-screen performances, now faces a dramatically different role as he reports to Chenggong Ling (成功嶺) military camp in Taichung, trading designer clothes for military fatigues and the structured life of a conscript.
Wang's enlistment comes at a tumultuous time in his life, as he battles allegations of draft evasion and inciting gang violence against a taxi driver — legal issues that threaten to derail his once-promising entertainment career. Despite these pending criminal investigations, military authorities have prioritized his conscription obligations. "Wang, born in 1991, is required to complete one year of alternative service," confirmed Cho Huan-hsin (卓煥新), deputy director-general of the Substitute Service Training and Management Center (替代役訓練及管理中心). Cho explained that Wang will first undergo standard basic training before participating in an early April selection process to determine his service agency assignment.
During his year-long service, Wang will follow the same regimented schedule and training program as his fellow conscripts. Military officials have clarified that should the courts require his presence during ongoing legal proceedings, he will be permitted to take leave in accordance with established regulations. For Wang, this mandatory service period represents not just a civic duty but a significant interruption to his professional life. Industry insiders are watching closely, wondering how this hiatus, compounded by his unresolved legal troubles, will affect the release timeline of his completed projects and the trajectory of his career once he returns to civilian life.