Taiwan TV host Blackie Chen denies sexual harassment claims

台灣主持人陳建州否認性騷擾指控

Actress finds inspiration in #MeToo movement, speaks out about her 2012 experience


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese actress and former TV host Tina Chou (周宜霈), previously known as Da Ya (大牙), on Tuesday (June 26) accused Blackie Chen (陳建州) of sexual harassment over an incident in 2012.

In a Facebook post, Chou accused Chen of harassment while the two were on a work trip in Hong Kong. After a day of interviews, Chou, Chen, two stylists, and Chen's manager were in the car together when Chen began to make suggestive remarks to Chou that she initially thought were just innocent banter.

According to Chou, later that night, back at the hotel they were all staying at, Chen pressured Chou to tell him what room she was staying in. Chou said that Chen later forced his way into her room.

Chou said she tried to defuse the situation and create distance between the two of them, but Chen kept coming on to her, grabbed and hugged her from behind, before she was eventually able to get Chen to leave her room.

She said afterwards, Chen called her over the hotel phone and told her to come to his room. She said her friends also overheard the conversation.

In her Facebook post, Chou said that Chen uses his image as a loving family man and presents himself as a kind-hearted advocate for the public good and sports in order to manage his public persona. She questioned whether people would believe her if she went public with the Hong Kong incident or if she should just keep quiet.

Chou noted that afterward, Chen behaved as if the hotel incident never happened.

Chou said a few years later she was greeted by Chen and his wife at a restaurant, which made her realize that she not only felt extremely uncomfortable toward Chen, but was also afraid of him.

"If I don't speak out now, that night 11 years ago will forever be a nightmare that occasionally haunts me," she said. Inspired by the #MeToo movement now going on in Taiwan, Chou said she aspires to live without fear and hopes to empower other women to speak out.

Meanwhile, Chen has denied Chou's allegations and vowed to take legal action. According to Chen's lawyer, the involvement of multiple individuals in a group activity undermines any claims of private encounters, per CTI.

The #MeToo movement in Taiwan has sparked a widespread social reckoning with institutional responses to sexual harassment. Numerous individuals, including high-ranking politicians like Yen Chih-fa (顏志發) and well-known entertainers such as Aaron Yan (炎亞綸) and Mickey Huang (黃子佼), face accusations of sexual harassment — some of whom have already expressed their regrets and apologies.