TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Authorities in New Taipei City detained nearly 10 individuals on Wednesday (April 1) in a major draft evasion crackdown, including Taiwanese actor Chiu Sheng-yi (邱勝翊), better known by his stage name Prince (王子). Police arrested Chiu at his rental apartment in Nangang District, handcuffed him and transported him to the station for questioning in connection with a celebrity conscription scandal that emerged last year.
The investigation stems from a draft evasion scandal involving multiple celebrities that surfaced last year. In February 2025, actor Darren Wang (王大陸) reportedly paid NT$3.6 million (US$112,700) to Chen Chih-ming (陳志明), the alleged head of a draft evasion syndicate, to avoid military service. Investigators found Chen used medical knowledge to help entertainers evade conscription, leading to his indictment, the Changhua District Prosecutors Office said.
The scandal contrasts sharply with South Korea's approach, where K-pop idols like BTS and EXO typically fulfill their military duties. South Korea's 2020 amendment to the Military Service Act, known as the "BTS Law," allows top cultural figures to defer enlistment until age 30. While initially supported, subsequent proposals for special military exemptions for stars sparked intense debate among South Korean lawmakers and the public.
Despite the legal leeway, South Korean idols often prefer to serve because the consequences for draft evasion are severe. In 2002, South Korean singer Steve Yoo (유승준, 劉承俊) renounced his citizenship to avoid service and has since been banned from entering South Korea for more than 20 years. Rapper MC Mong (MC몽, MC夢) faced a career downfall after allegedly delaying enlistment by having teeth removed.