Taiwan’s #MeToo movement: Comedian Nono stops work, actor Aaron Yan apologises to his ex
TAIPEI – Taiwanese comedian Nono has put his career on hold after he was accused of sexual harassment by at least 20 women, as the 52-year-old became the latest celebrity caught in Taiwan’s growing #MeToo movement.
Nono, whose real name is Chen Hsuan-yu, announced on Facebook on Wednesday afternoon that he will stop work immediately.
His announcement came after Taiwanese influencer Anissa, who goes by the name Teacher Xiaohong, held a press conference on Wednesday morning detailing some of the allegations made by the women.
Anissa said she has received messages from at least 20 women accusing Nono of sexually harassing them, with two of them claiming they were sexually assaulted by him in a public toilet and his car respectively.
Anissa said Nono’s victims included employees and university students. She added after the press conference that she had received more messages of allegations, with one woman saying she was almost sexually assaulted by Nono when she was around 15 years old.
Anissa herself had disclosed on social media early on Tuesday that she was one of Nono’s victims, after he claimed to have no recollection of an incident detailed by former model Amber Chang on Facebook.
Anissa said she had once sought help from “Brother N” after she was sexually harassed by an agent of a professional baseball player. However, she was in turn sexually harassed by “Brother N”.
She reacted to Nono’s Facebook announcement by urging him to “have the guts” to apologise to the victims.
Another celebrity caught in Taiwan’s #MeToo movement was actor Aaron Yan.
Internet celebrity Yao Le disclosed on social media on Tuesday night that he had dated Yan when he was 16 years old. He accused Yan, a member of former Taiwanese boy band Fahrenheit, of filming them having sex. The videos were later leaked. He also accused Yan of two-timing him.
Yan, 37, reacted to Yao’s disclosure on Facebook, admitting to their past relationship and claiming that the videos might have been leaked after he had sent his mobile phone for repairs.
Yao held a press conference on Wednesday morning, but it was interrupted by the sudden entry of Yan, who bowed and apologised to Yao. Yao lowered his head and did not look at Yan throughout the apology.
Yan left the press conference in tears after apologising, telling the media that what happened between him and Yao was consensual and he did not secretly film them having sex. His apology was dismissed by Yao as insincere, coming as it did after Yao’s post.
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