Sam Tseng has hosted 'A Wonderful Word' since 2014. Photo: Sam Tseng/Facebook
Taiwanese TV host Sam Tseng Kuo-cheng has resigned from the game show A Wonderful Word (2014 to present) for seemingly siding with disgraced TV host Mickey Huang.
Huang, 52, was sentenced to eight months in jail in December 2024 for possession of 2,259 sexually explicit images involving 35 minors. The prosecution said in January that it is appealing the case and seeking a heavier sentence.
The latest incident started when Huang was spotted on March 1 by Taiwan’s Mirror Media at a cafe with his wife, actress Summer Meng, and their daughter, who turns three in May.
This led to talk of a comeback, which was met with a backlash. In response, Meng, 33, said on Facebook on March 9 that there was no such plan. She shut down her Facebook and Instagram accounts the next day.
Tseng was asked about the incident during a media interview on March 11. The 57-year-old said he had been looking forward to Huang’s return in late 2024 and that his achievements should not be written off.
His comments were slammed by netizens as he was seen as sympathetic to Huang.
Tseng apologised for his comments on Facebook on March 13, but this failed to quell the uproar. Nutritional supplement brand Fang Zih announced on March 14 that it was terminating its endorsement deal with him.
He apologised on Facebook again on March 15, writing in Chinese: “As the host of A Wonderful Word, I have always taken the responsibility of ‘conveying knowledge and promoting the beauty of language’, hoping to bring more enlightenment and fun to the audience through the programme.
“To prevent this incident from affecting the original intentions and values of A Wonderful Word, I have decided to formally resign from my position as the host of the programme, so it can have a chance to move forward with a new look.
“At the same time, I fully understand that the sexual exploitation of children and teenagers is not just a wrongdoing, but also a crime. It is everyone’s responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation, and I strongly condemn and resist any form of criminal acts of sexual exploitation.”
Tseng, who has hosted the show since 2014, has won Best Host in a Reality or Game Show for the show at Taiwan’s Golden Bell Awards in 2021 and 2023. A Wonderful Word also won Best Comprehensive Show at the Golden Bell Awards in 2015.
Taiwanese TV host Hsu Nai-lin, who was also at the interview with Tseng, said everyone makes mistakes and that Huang should be given another chance. The 65-year-old apologised for his comments on Facebook on March 14. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
