After weeks of controversy surrounding his alleged avoidance of military service, Taiwanese star Darren Wang is set to officially enlist.
Also known as Wang Ta Lu, he will serve his military duty after being arrested and released on draft evasion charges.
Darren Wang is scheduled to start his one-year military service on March 13, as reported by ET Today on February 24. Under Taiwan’s Military Service Act, males are required to serve for one year between the ages of 18 and 36.
The mandatory service period was recently extended from four months to one year, effective 2024. The maximum age for deferment is 33.
Those who evade conscription may face up to five years in prison. A review of 2020-2024 conscripts found 80 cases of falsely claimed illnesses or diseases.
An investigation into conscription dodging recently led to the questioning of 12 individuals, including Darren Wang. They were suspected of involvement with an illegal ring that helps men dodge military service.
Authorities arrested Wang on February 18 on suspicion of dodging military service, after identifying him as a suspect in their probe into breaches of the Military Service Act.
The 33-year-old star allegedly obtained a fake medical certificate to dodge military service. However, legal experts in Taiwan believe he may avoid criminal charges under the Military Service Act and document forgery laws since he did not submit the fake documents.
Darren Wang was released on bail of 150,000 yuan (around 29.55 million won) after his arrest. The fallout from the incident was significant as he had to withdraw from his next project.
He rose to stardom with his memorable roles in “Our Times”, “The Wolf”, “Five Kings of Thieves”, and more. Meanwhile, Darren Wang will enlist in the military on March 13.