He faces possible jail time.
Koreaboo
Over the past few months, several stars in Taiwan have been accused of evading mandatory military service.
In Taiwan, the age of conscription is 18 years old, and men are required to serve in the military for one year before their 36th birthday. In December 2022, it was announced that the length of mandatory military service would be extended to one year beginning in 2024, after previously being four months.
Popular Actor Admits To Paying To Evade Military Service, Faces Jail Time
Evasions have been committed by falsifying medical records, a method that SpeXial‘s Teddy Chen (Xiangxi Chen) was accused of using. In October 2025, Chen claimed that he was blackmailed and extorted into committing a crime, and didn’t initially realize that the alleged mastermind would be doing illegal actions.
In the midst of the investigation, Chen has decided to begin his mandatory service.
On November 20, Chen shared an Instagram update, revealing his shaved head and his resolve to make amends. He will be enlisting in alternative services due to his pre-existing health conditions.
A lot happened during this period of time, and I made you all worry. I’m sincerely thankful for the chance to fix the immature decisions in the past. I’ll get things done right, step by step, with a more grounded attitude. I’ll seriously sort myself out. Thank you once again for your tolerance.
— Teddy Chen
Evasion of military service can result in up to five years in prison.