Category：Offbeat

Village chief candidate made unrecognizable by AI editing

With local elections approaching, campaign billboards are popping up everywhere. Candidates often edit younger photos of themselves for posters, but now some are directly using AI, like Hsu Mei-fang, who’s running for village chief in Songling, Zhongli. People online said her photo was so heavily edited that she’s no longer recognizable.

This election campaign poster looks like a marriage advertisement, even with “Hsu Mei-fang wants to marry you” in big pink characters. The candidate for Songling village chief in Zhongli is pictured with delicate, polished features and her fingers making a heart shape. The photo has been heavily edited, likely by AI.

People online couldn’t stop criticizing it, calling it “the most repulsive campaign poster” and saying AI made the candidate look completely different and utterly unrecognizable. Some even called it fraud.

Songling Village resident
Can’t recognize candidate
I looked up her real photo and it’s completely different. They should use a photo taken in the last three months, not one that’s been heavily edited like this.

- I don’t know what she actually looks like.

After sparking residents’ curiosity, Hsu appeared in person to answer their questions.

- That’s me!

Hsu is introducing herself to make sure people recognize her. It’s her first time in front of a news camera, showing her true self.

Hsu Mei-fang
Songling village chief candidate
I want you to see my authentic self. Hopefully it’s not as bad as you thought.

She posted a video and explanation, saying she’s come to face the music, acknowledging her poster’s shock factor, and emphasizing that her supporters made it. She welcomed people to come to Zhongli and meet her in person. Hsu isn’t the only one. A candidate for village chief in Kaohsiung, 25-year-old Lee Chih-wei, has also been called out for heavily editing her photo. Politicians have often used younger photos, but now they’ve started using AI images as well. While it can save the cost of a professional photo shoot, heavy editing makes candidates difficult to recognize, and voters say it’s harder to trust them. 

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

#election #localelection #villagechief #AI #AIimage #photo #editing #filter #poster #billboard #campaign

2026-10-01

Traveler boasting about smuggling meat from China causes outrage

If you break Taiwan’s stringent laws against smuggling, you would probably know better than boast about it online. But a woman in Pingtung who recently returned from China with loads of forbidden meat products, did just that. In a video posted on social media, the traveler showed off her illegal haul from across the strait, which included pork jerky and duck tongues. Netizens, concerned about African swine fever spreading to Taiwan, were outraged Authorities are now on the case. Let’s hear more.

- Oh my god!
How did you get away with it?
It’s pork! Pork!
Duck tongues! You’re not bad off huh.
This is super illegal, you know.
- He said the shopkeeper said it was OK.
- The shopkeeper said I could buy them.
- They lied.
How could it be OK, it’s pork!

Member of public
Knows customs rules
If you can’t bring that in, you don’t. Period. We’ve all long known about this.

Member of public
Doesn’t find smuggling funny
Don’t joke about that! It’s breaking the law.

Chen Yu-ju
Pingtung Department of Agriculture
The account was deactivated. We’ve asked police to trace the IP address. If the claims are found to be true, a fine of at least NT$200,000 could be imposed.

Amid the online storm, the woman claimed that the video was just a prank among friends. She also threatened to sue all the people who left insulting comments on her social media post. Authorities are investigating the matter, reiterating that it’s against the law to bring meat products into Taiwan. People who get caught face hefty fines of up to NT$200,000 to NT$1 million.

#pork #jerky #duck #prank #china

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

2026-09-30

Mother terrified after discovering a woman hiding in her car for hours

Imagine looking in the rearview mirror of your car and finding a stranger staring back at you. This was not a scene from a horror film, but the terrifying reality of a young mother in New Taipei’s Linkou District. The mother was on her way to pick up her daughter from daycare. On the way, she went to buy breakfast and forgot to lock the doors. She never saw a woman getting into her car, crouching behind her seat and remained there until it arrived at the daycare center. That’s when the mother realized that she wasn’t alone.

Once the driver entered the underground parking lot, she stopped the car in front of the exit. The mother then went to collect her daughter from the daycare center on the second floor. After a while, a strange middle-aged woman got out of the car’s backseat, she had hidden there all along.

After a few minutes, the mother carried her child downstairs, and the woman wanted to get in the car with them too. Only then did the mother realize a strange woman was there and screamed in terror.

Voice of Mother
Unaware of Hidden Stranger
This is quite scary. If she had some sort of motive, she could have put a rope around my neck, I could have died.

At first, it was believed that this stranger accidentally got into the car, but a careful review of surveillance footage revealed that the woman had been hiding in the car for some time.

Voice of Mother
Unaware of Hidden Stranger
I kept thinking, if I hadn’t carried my daughter with me, would she have kidnapped her? I was terrified.

It was close to noon, when the mother received a call from the daycare center stating that her daughter was unwell and needed to be taken home. On the way to collect her child, the mother stopped for food and didn’t think to lock her car doors. This became the perfect window for a strange woman to sneak into the backseat and follow her to the center.

Li Hao-zhang
Linkou Cultural Affairs Office Director
When the victim tried to get back in the car, the unidentified woman attempted to open the door and get in again. When the victim noticed, she screamed and fled.

Previous reports suggest the strange woman in question is known locally for being problematic. Although her motives are unclear, she did not prove to be an immediate danger to the mother and her child, which would have been unfortunate and led to serious reprimand.

#carnapping #newtaipei #mother #daycare #childcrimes

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

2026-09-30

Elevator with 7 occupants plunges down 3 floors in Keelung high rise

A terrifying elevator accident trapped a family of seven inside a building in Keelung on Sunday afternoon. The family was riding up to the 26th floor of a hotel when the elevator suddenly plunged downward, not once, not twice, but three times, before finally stopping between the eighth and ninth floors. They were trapped for nearly an hour before firefighters arrived, cut the power, and rescued all seven passengers. Let’s hear more.

- Is anyone feeling unwell?
- Me. I can’t breathe well.

Lu Yu-nan
Fire fighter
We worked with staff to shut the power and then used the elevator locks to keep the inner and outer doors open while we freed all seven occupants.

Shih Wei-cheng
Keelung City Councilor (DPP)
The government should properly check the inspection records of elevators at high rises. It should also closely monitor maintenance companies and check their work piece by piece. The city should also make sure our firefighters have adequate equipment for rescues at tall buildings.

The elevator cabin was stuck about 2m below the 9th floor, making for a challenging rescue operation. They had to put plastic chairs inside the cabin, so that the passengers could be hoisted up onto the floor one by one. The building’s management gave each occupant NT$600 in compensation, but they still took the matter to a local city councilor. The councilor urged the government to do more to strengthen elevator safety, and to provide specialized equipment so that firefighters can carry out rescues.

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

#elevator #stuck #keelung #firefighter #lift

2026-09-28

Candidates begin deploying their cute kids to gain votes

The nine-in-one local elections are fiercely competitive. Candidates pull out all the stops and employ adorable campaign assistants. Kaohsiung City Councilor candidate, Chang Yi-li, did exactly this when he brought out his 3 year-old and 5 year-old sons while canvassing markets. His sons’ cute campaigning methods were well-received by the older generation. One candidate for Pingtung County Council similarly recruited his grandson to film his campaign video, the content was so candid and hilarious that it quickly grew viral.

- The election is coming up, my grandpa told me to gather votes

Perhaps the world’s youngest campaign assistant is online, talking about his grandpa, who wants to run for Pingtung County Councilor.

- This is where my grandpa will sleep later.
- This is my grandpa’s service area.
- This is my grandpa’s guava garden, and also where I pee.

To the viewers’ amusement, he solemnly showcased the columbarium where his grandpa will one day rest. All with the proper respect.

- This was brought by my grandfather, a fire truck and an ambulance.

This very adorable kid is the grandson of Chiang Chia-huang, an independent Pingtung County Council candidate.

Chiang Chia-huang
Pingting County Councilor candidate
He learned Taigi, speaks fluently. I have no problem with the columbarium. His ideas are innocent, we just laugh it off.

- Do you think the film will receive 1,000 likes?
- Yes it has 30,000
- Wow, that’s impressive

The hilarious, heartwarming video has won the hearts of countless people; the Grandpa must also stay true to his words.

- If this video gets 1,000 likes, my grandpa will gift me a limited edition robot.

In Kaohsiung, Chang Yi-li, a candidate for County Councilor is also using adorable campaign tactics.

- Please, support my dad.
- OK, no problem

At the vegetable market, they posted promotional posters and loudly called for voters to support them. These 5 year-old and 3 year-old sons of the candidate are entirely unafraid.

- Chang Yi-li was a member of the previous city government team and also served as Youth Bureau Chief.

The kids’ cute, outgoing characters are adored by the elderly.

Chang Yi-li
Kaohsiung County Councilor candidat
They are very active, and lively and fun. But it turns out that taking them out to canvass is more tiring for me.

With the election approaching, candidates are turning to vote-collection methods that melt the hearts of their supporters.

-Please support my father, Chang Yi-li.

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

#taiwanelections #countycouncil #kaohsiung #pingtung

2026-09-28

Beautician creeped out as man pulls down pants after facial

A beautician in Taichung had just finished giving her client a facial treatment, when the appointment suddenly took a creepy turn. The man she had been servicing pulled his pants down without a warning and asked her to check out the zits on his bottom. Let’s hear from the beautician.

Voice of beautician (Anonymized)
Shocked by client
I said, “We’re all done, you can get up.” Then, he pulled down his pants without saying a word. I was shocked. I had told him before we didn’t deal with that. I was firm, and said “Please put your pants back on, we don’t do body treatments.” I thought that maybe he was one of those perverts who get off on shocking people, so I remained calm and told him to get out. The door was open, so like, if he didn’t get out, I’d just walk away.

Security camera footage shows the man turning around with his bare butt in full sight. Though the beautician to flinched, she kept her calm and ordered him to put on his clothes, saying she’d refer him to a dermatologist. Police say the mooning incident constitutes as sexual harassment, and the man will be brought in to explain himself. The beautician says after this incident, he might be the last man she ever attends to at the salon.

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

#bautician #facial #skin #derm #mooning

2026-09-24

Man pretends to pray as part of NT$10,000 donation box heist

Apparently not even donation boxes are safe from petty crime, even at a religious site. A Four-Faced Buddha shrine in Kaohsiung’s Fongshan District was recently targeted by a thief, who pretended to be a worshipper. The man went into the shrine, lit incense and pretended to pray while scouting the site. Then, he pried the box open and made off with more than NT$10,000 in donations. Let’s hear more.

Mr. Lee
Temple representative
We got a call saying that the donation box at the Four-Faced Buddha shrine had been pried open. We went over, and it was all broken. He lit some incense and took a walk around. But it looked like he wasn’t just praying. He had found his target. Then he went over and forced it open.

Member of public
Considering karmic consequences
Karma will come back to him. If he committed the act for a good reason, Buddha will forgive him. But if his intent was destruction, it’s won’t be good.

Chuang Hsueh-liang
Police officer
A donation box at a Four-Faced Buddha shrine was pried open, and about NT$10,000 in cash donations was stolen. After receiving the report, we began reviewing security camera footage and identified a 48-year-old man as a prime suspect.

Police reviewed surveillance footage and discovered that the crime was premeditated. The suspect rode his scooter past the temple and parked it at a nearby park, before carrying out the heist. He made sure to pocket the cash at just the right spot, where he couldn’t be seen by surveillance cameras. The man, surnamed Su, later confessed to the crime at the police station, and he is now facing legal and perhaps also karmic consequences.

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

#bhudda #kaohsiung #thief #donationbox #shrine

2026-09-24

Couple accused of tricking senior into buying NT$2,500 photoshopped portrait

Stay alert if a stranger offers to take your photo! In Hengchun Township in Pingtung, one family said that a couple approached their elderly father offering to turn his photograph into a portrait. The next day, they showed up at his doorstep demanding NT$2,500 for the portrait, which appeared to just be a headshot photoshopped onto another picture. Until the couple showed up with the portrait, the family didn’t realize their father was being subject to aggressive sales tactics. In the end, they had no choice but to pay.

- He initially said his studio charges NT$5,000, but had a special price of NT$2,500 for bringing it to his home.

This framed portrait cost NT$2,500, even though it appears to just be a face photoshopped onto another picture. Ms. Chen from Pingtung said her hard-of-hearing father was approached by strangers on his doorstep who offered to take his picture to make into a painting. He didn’t suspect it was a scam.

Ms. Chen
Elderly man’s daughter
He couldn’t understand or hear what they were saying, so he just smiled and said OK to everything. When elderly people don’t know what’s going on, they won’t ask their family. Since the couple was older themselves, we just decided to let it go and take the portrait.

The family was able to snap this picture of the couple leaving. After taking the man’s photo, the two returned the next day demanding payment. His family was surprised, but since the portrait was already produced and their father had agreed to it, knowingly or not, they decided to pay.

Ms. Chen
Elderly man’s daughter
I asked his caregiver to hang it in his room so he’d look at it every day as a reminder that he got scammed.

Wang Yi-chang
Hengchun police lead detective
Our precinct has not yet received any formal reports of allegedly fraudulent behavior involving the solicitation of seniors for photography or portraiture.

The couple allegedly used aggressive sales techniques to get the commission. Similar tactics were reportedly widespread in the past, but have recently resurfaced with a new twist.

Resident
Hengchun
This happened a lot before. It was everywhere. They’d bring some items and say they wanted money from you. But I don’t think it’s allowed anymore under current law.

Suspecting that the couple deliberately targets the elderly with fraudulent intent, the family shared their experience online to urge households with senior family members to stay vigilant.

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

#fraud #scam #portrait #elderly #seniorsafety #Pingtung #photoshop #PSA

2026-09-25

Diner gets extra-smoky lunchbox containing cigarette butt from chef

A diner who bought a takeaway lunchbox at a self-serve restaurant in Tainan got an extra smoky meal, thanks to a cigarette butt that found its way into the sauce. The shocked diner picked it out of the food and called the restaurant to complain. But the person on the other end of the line simply said that they would tell their chef to quit smoking on the job. Health authorities have since conducted an inspection of the business.

The diner took a picture of the discovery, holding up the cigarette butt with a pair of chopsticks. At first, he thought the butt was an extra chewy intestine, or a charred spring onion. But one whiff gave it away: the aroma wasn’t herbs or spices, but that of tobacco. Fortunately, the cigarette butt didn’t end up in anyone’s stomach, and neither did the rest of the meal, as the diner had lost his appetite.

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

#smoky #lunchbox #selfserve #tainan #marinate

2026-09-23

Local sheep prefer evenings out over targeted grazing

Last night at around 8 o’clock, cars were stuck in traffic in Yunlin’s Xiluo Township due to a sheep jam. Yes, you heard that right. Sheep. A landowner borrowed a flock of sheep to clear the weeds in a field, but the sneaky sheep had slipped through the cracks in a fence and decided to clock out early. Local residents quickly banded together to capture the escapees.

The sky is dark, but bright fluffy clouds are seen on the road. These are actually sheep who don’t want to go home.

- Xiluo Night Market is here.
Going inside the market
- Go left. Go left.

On Tuesday evening in Yunlin County, sheep suddenly appeared on Fulai Road in Xiluo Township. Who let the sheep out? Local residents also wondered this as they quickly alerted the relevant authorities to help find the owner. They banded together using messaging groups to help capture the sheep.

-They’re over there!

Member of public
Concerned about sheep
You have to grab the sheep, tighten the reins around its neck quickly and stop it from escaping. What else can you do?

Member of public
Likes to eat lamb
I brought my daughter to see what sheep look like before they are cooked, hahahaha.

Member of public
Great sense of humor
This is hilarious. Has anyone called the police?

It was later revealed that a landscaper borrowed the flock to graze on overgrown grass in some open areas. Unfortunately, the sheep were uninterested in working and followed their leader towards Xiluo Night Market for an exciting night on the town.

Member of public
The sheep are still on the road, let’s surround them, once rounded off, we can slowly approach.

Member of public
Eager to catch sheep
Help us round them, help us catch them!

It took dozens of people more than an hour to round up the runaway sheep and load them in a small truck. Local residents joked that the activity was “more tiring than a sports meet.” Using sheep for targeted grazing and weed control is sustainable, but perhaps the fluffy creatures are more interested in becoming traffic police than landscapers.

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

#thegreatescape #shaunthesheep #thesheepdetectives #yunlin #animals #cute #sheep

2026-09-23