TAIWAN: Taiwanese television personality Nono, whose real name is Chen Hsuan-yu (陳宣裕), was sentenced on Tuesday (13 May) by the Shilin District Court to two years and six months in prison for attempted rape.
The 54-year-old was facing a total of seven charges, but was acquitted of the other six.
Chen, a well-known figure in Taiwan’s entertainment scene, became one of the male celebrities implicated in the country’s MeToo movement in June 2023.
His career was put on indefinite hold after at least 20 women came forward accusing him of sexual harassment.
He was later indicted in May 2024 on seven charges: three counts of rape, two of attempted rape, and two of indecent assault, involving six victims.
The attempted rape for which Chen was convicted occurred in February 2011.
Prosecutors said Chen exploited his seniority in the entertainment industry to offer a female colleague a ride home late at night following a TV recording.
Instead, he parked the car at a riverside park and tried to rape her.
The court found the victim’s testimony credible, noting that she had confided in friends and family shortly after the incident, and that the traumatic experience had left her emotionally scarred.
The victim only came forward publicly in June 2023, encouraged by other women who were sharing similar experiences during the MeToo wave.
According to the court, Chen showed no remorse throughout the trial—he denied knowing the victim, offered no apology, and made no attempt at reconciliation.
As a result, the court sentenced him in accordance with the law.
As for the remaining six charges, the court ruled that most lacked strong supporting evidence.
It also pointed out contradictions in some of the plaintiffs’ testimonies, which led to the not-guilty verdicts.
Both Chen and the prosecution have the right to appeal.
In response to the ruling, Taiwanese influencer Anissa—who had publicised some of the women’s allegations in June 2023—expressed her disappointment in a Facebook post on Tuesday (13 May).
She criticised the court for what she considered a lenient sentence and said both she and the victims found the outcome unacceptable.
“We find it very difficult to accept the court verdict. It is really unexpected,” she wrote.
“This is really outrageous.” She added that they would consult with lawyers and urge the prosecution to appeal the verdict.
Chen rose to fame in the early 2000s through his work on variety shows such as Jacky Go Go Go alongside veteran host Jacky Wu.
He has been married to Taiwanese singer Angel Chu, 39, since 2013, and the couple have an 11-year-old daughter.
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