Taiwan heartthrob Greg Hsu completes basic military training

Taiwan heartthrob Greg Hsu completes basic military training

2024-09-06

Fans of Taiwan heartthrob Greg Hsu were shocked last month, after finding out the actor had started his substitute military service. The actor, also known as Hsu Kuang-han, had enlisted as a trainee at the Cheng-gong Ridge Camp in Taichung on Aug. 20. Now, after 10 days of required basic training, he’s out again. The film star was spotted leaving camp alone on Friday, wearing a face mask and a cap.

Hsu did not stop to take questions from reporters. He said he wanted to keep a low profile during training, and thanked fans for their understanding. He’s set to return to base on Sunday before 6 p.m., to take a civil defense training course. On Sept. 13, he’s expected to start service at Zhongxing New Village in Nantou.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

許光漢結訓離營! 快步上保母車盼"低調度過服役時間"

2024-09-06

藝人許光漢，8月20日低調前往成功嶺營區服替代役，讓粉絲、藝能界好友都很震驚，歷經10多天的基礎訓練，週五中午結訓離營放假，被鏡頭捕捉到，他戴著鴨舌帽，獨自一人走出軍營。

面對媒體詢問，除了感謝大家關心，他也說希望能低調度過服役時間。短暫休息兩天後，許光漢預計8日晚間6點前，收假再次回到成功嶺，接下來還有一週的民防課程專業訓練，預計13日，前往南投中興新村"公益大使團"服役。

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Detained Ko focus of international press

After being detained and held incommunicado over alleged corruption on Thursday, Taiwan People’s Party leader Ko Wen-je has garnered much international media attention. And not all of it has been good press. The Chinese language BBC quoted a scholar as saying Ko’s image of political integrity has collapsed. However, shortly before his detention, Ko also spoke to Nikkei Asia, where he accused the DPP government of using the judiciary to suppress opponents. Let’s hear more about what the international media has to say.

TPP chairman Ko Wen-je’s alleged involvement in the Core Pacific City mall corruption case has made international headlines, and not just in Hong Kong. Japan’s Nikkei Asia had an exclusive interview with Ko less than a week after his first detention and hours before he was detained once again.

Nikkei’s headline read: “Taiwan’s Ko Wen-je accuses government of witch hunt.” In the story, Ko complains that what he finds “most disappointing” is that Taiwan spent 30 years overthrowing the KMT party state, only to have most of judiciary and media now being President Lai Ching-te’s political tools. Referring to a campaign finance scandal, Ko conceded that “we dare not say that we are absolutely not wrong” but complained that the media hype had magnified mistakes. Using American politics as an analogy, Ko said if the government under the Democratic Party in the U.S. went and raided the headquarters of the Republican Party, took away the computers and information saved, and used the information to check if every move is lawful, how would this look?

Ko Wen-je (Sept. 2)
TPP Chair
I can’t comprehend the motive for searching the residence, office and central party headquarters of the chair of a main opposition party.

In addition to Asian media reports, European and American media are also paying close attention. Bloomberg points out that Ko has denied any wrongdoing in the Core Pacific City corruption case. AFP notes that the TPP has eight seats in the Legislative Yuan and holds the balance of power, so Ko’s actions will have a profound impact on Taiwanese politics. The BBC’s Chinese language media quotes Yeh Yao-yuan, chair of International Studies and Modern Languages at America’s University of St Thomas as saying Ko’s image of political integrity had collapsed and it would be difficult for him to politically survive. However, Yeh also predicted there would be continue to be three forces in Taiwanese politics.

Huang Kuo-chang
TPP caucus convener
Many international friends and international journalists have taken the initiative to show care for our chair. The chair’s declarations to everyone are very clear. This is a marathon and we must prepare for a long-term resistance war.

The leader of Taiwan’s third largest political party in the last week has been arrested, then released from detention before being detained again. Nikkei Asia says Ko faces several years in jail if convicted for corruption and describes this as a “potential Shakespearean twist.”

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2024-09-06

Cho inspects indigenous defense submarine Hai Kun

2024-09-06

Twice’s Tzuyu goes solo with release of ‘Run Away’

Renowned Taiwanese K-pop star Tzuyu, from girl group Twice, has finally gone solo after nine years in the industry. She’s released her debut extended play “abouTZU”, along with a music video for the EP’s main song “Run Away.” The video shows Tzuyu breaking with her previous sweet image in favor of a more mature and sexy look. She’s also personally composed the lyrics to another song, “Fly,” and says she’d like to donate the royalties from “Fly” to help others.

Wearing a ponytail and looking more beautiful than ever, Twice member Tzuyu has released her first solo album, nine years after her debut.

The Tainan native doesn’t only make a big show of singing, but also her dancing skills. She’s the third member of Twice to go solo.

With singing and dancing, Tzuyu has appeared non-stop on TV music programs to promote the lead song “Run Away.” The lyrics were written by her management company, JYP Entertainment. In just four hours of its release, the video saw more than 1 million views on YouTube. Tzuyu fought hard for the opportunity to go solo.

Holding a hand-held light she teaches fans how to chant for her at concerts, her sweet smile as stunning as ever. Shuhua, another Taiwanese singer based in South Korea, shared the video on two stories on Instagram. The EP has a total of six songs. One titled “Fly” was written by Tzuyu herself.

Tzuyu did not only take on the challenge of writing lyrics for the first time, but also kindheartedly revealed that she would like to donate the royalties. Born Chou Tzu-yu in Tainan, Tzuyu went to South Korea at the age of 13. While her popularity remains high, she has not been very active in public, leading fans to worry that her managing company would sideline her.

Tzuyu
K-pop star
Hey guys! It’s your girl Tzuyu. Join my listening party on Stationhead and share your thoughts on abouTzu.

From a sweet little girl, to a solo singer who can stand on her own, Tzuyu has made use of her musical strengths to go to an even higher professional level.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2024-09-06

17-year-old table tennis player wins silver for Taiwan at Paralympics

2024-09-06

More than 100,000 pairs of shoes on sale at Taichung outlet mall

Bargain hunters on Friday flocked to an outlet mall in Taichung, where cheap is the word of the day. More than 100,000 pairs of shoes from over 60 brands are on sale. Additional discounts are on offer for buyers sporting socks and slides, a trendy Gen-Z look. If you want to buy but can’t find shoes your size, here are some tricks.

It’s 9 a.m. The outlet mall still hasn’t opened. But already, there is a large crowd of people waiting in line for the shopping spree of the year.

Shopper
They have shoes from a lot of big brands. Of course I want to have a look and buy some. First I’ll look for shoes for the kids, and then for my mom. I’ll take a look in a bit.

Look down and you’ll notice most people in line are wearing socks and slides. That’s because of a promotion launched by the shopping center. Come dressed in this trendy Gen-Z garb, to get a voucher for NT$100.

Shopper
I’m looking for a bargain, so of course if there’s additional promotions, I’ll comply. I wouldn’t usually wear something like this, it’s not my style.

Finally, it’s 10:30 a.m.. Let the shopping begin. The doors of the lift open and shoppers pour out, rushing to their objective.

Shopper
If the size is too big or small I won’t buy them. I look for shoes I like to try them on.

Some shoppers might give up on the shoes of their dreams if the size isn’t right. But actually, there are some tricks to make them fit.

Wang Yun-hsuan
FTV reporter
If your favorite shoes aren’t your size, give them a try anyway. If it’s a full size or half a size too big, you can make them fit with a little ingenuity.

If you can’t find your size on the rack, worry not, after all a bargain is a bargain. Try them on. If they are a little loose and the heel slips out, inserts such as arch pads, heel pads or insoles can solve the problem. For high heels, you can stuff the toes with some crumpled-up tights, or attach a clear strap to keep them from falling off.

Chen Chih-yin
Outlet mall employee
If you come across a pair you like, it’s best to snap it up fast, even if it is half a size or a full size too big. We’re expecting 2,000 shoppers to come for the promotion today.

With more than 100,000 pairs of shoes from more than 60 brands on offer, budget-conscious buyers are ready to splash the cash. But with so much competition acting fast is key.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2024-09-06

Addressing the world’s lowest birth rate in South Korea

In South Korea, a growing number of women are opting out of having children, driven by financial challenges and career demands. But egg-freezing is emerging as a trend that allows women to delay parenthood while keeping their options open for the future. VOA’s Bill Gallo explains from Seoul.

In Seongsu, a trendy district of Seoul, there are almost no strollers. Children are now a rarity across South Korea, which has the world’s lowest birth rate. But this pop-up store, run by a fertility clinic, is offering a new choice.

Egg freezing – it’s for those who may want children… just not right now.

Lee Chae-rin
Maria Hospital consultant
I don’t have a boyfriend now, and I don’t know when I’m going to get married. But I can’t turn back the clock on aging, so I invested money for the future to freeze my eggs.

Lee Chae-rin now works at Seoul’s Maria Hospital to convince other women of the benefits of egg-freezing – a move the 31-year-old says has given her more freedom.

Lee Chae-rin
Maria Hospital consultant
Maybe it’s just because I really enjoy my life right now. But I think people naturally want to follow their passions – whether it’s studying, working more, or pursuing hobbies. For me, it’s surfing.

Others cite financial strain and demanding work hours as barriers to starting a family.

Lee Jung-hyun
Office worker
And women also experience problems, such as career breaks. If people can’t solve these issues, they just give up on having a child.

Those pressures are understandable, says Maria Hospital’s Lim Tae-won.

Lim Tae-won
Maria Hospital vice president
In the end, people deprioritize marriage and childbirth. And later, when they do want to have children, they’ve become less fertile.

Instead, younger women can choose to freeze higher quality eggs for later use in vitro fertilization, or IVF.

At Maria Hospital, Lim says egg-freezing procedures have more than tripled since 2019, partly due to government subsidies. The Seoul city government pays for about half of egg-freezing expenses.

Lim Tae-won
Maria Hospital vice president
From this point of view, we think that egg-freezing will be a very essential solution to the low birth rate problem.

No one knows how much this will actually improve South Korea’s demographic crisis.
But it may allow more women to feel in control of their future.

Bill Gallo, VOA News, Seoul, South Korea.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2024-09-06

Rules change to root out cheaters at Pingtung’s annual mass wedding

In Pingtung, every October dozens of couples say “I do” all together, in a mass wedding organized by the county government. With big incentives dangled for participants, it’s an extremely popular event year after year. But this year, the rules are changing a little. Officials noticed that some people were trying to game the system by applying every year, but not getting married in the meantime. There are other ways of gaming the system too. They’ve implemented some new rules and measures in 2024, to make sure that everyone who ties the knot does so in good faith.

Many people dream of their wedding as the happiest day of their life. Every October, Pingtung County government holds a mass wedding, attended by the county commissioner as a witness to the couples’ vows.

Chou Chun-mi
Pingtung County commissioner
This year on October 20 we have the “Love You Just the Same” mass wedding. Aside from our gift voucher of NT$10,000, we’re also offering round-trip honeymoon flights to Tokyo and Seoul.

Any couple is eligible so long one of them is a registered resident of Pingtung. Participants get a free dress and makeover, as well as a gift voucher of NT$10,000, and a chance in a draw for flight tickets and home appliances. The event accepts 50 couples a year, and it’s normally fully signed up within seconds. But the county has noticed that some people are trying to game the system by applying for the event each year, and despite not getting a spot, they don’t get married in the meantime.

Chien Mao-feng
Religious ceremonies manager
We haven’t really checked such behavior. There are rumors of that.

With so many applications, the county government is slightly overwhelmed. This year the number of spots has been reduced to 30, with staff assigned to check applications and make sure none of them are repeats. There’s also a new rule: only couples who register their marriage between June 1 and October 20 are eligible. If that’s not done before the big day, someone will register you on the spot.

Chien Mao-feng
Religious ceremonies manager
You can register in almost all the six big cities. So we’ve brought this condition in this year. If you haven’t registered yet, you can still apply for our mass wedding. We will ask Pingtung Civil Affairs Department to help all the couples complete their registration at the event on the day.

Member of public
Of course a lot of people would want to join an event like that. So accordingly the organizers should establish some rules and regulations.

Member of public
I think marriage is a personal affair. It’s something to arrange for yourself. I wouldn’t really want to do it in a public event like that.

And it’s not just that people apply again and again. There are also couples who take part in multiple mass weddings in different parts of Taiwan, sometimes having several weddings in one year. Pingtung wants to improve its communication with other counties and local governments to root out this kind of opportunistic wedding fever.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2024-09-06