Taiwan's #MeToo: Mickey Huang issues public apology to alleged victim Zofia

Taiwanese television host Mickey Huang, who was embroiled in Taiwan’s #MeToo movement in June 2023, has formally apologised to Zofia, the female blogger who first accused him of sexual harassment more than 10 years ago.

"I, Mickey Huang, am deeply sorry for the psychological distress and harm I have caused Ms Zofia due to my disrespectful behaviour more than 10 years ago,” he wrote on Facebook at 8pm on Feb 7.

"I hereby publicly apologise to her and urge all parties to refrain from harassing or attacking Ms Zofia from now on."

Huang, 51, tagged Zofia’s Facebook page in the post.

He added that the content and timing of the apology were agreed upon by both parties through their managers and confirmed by their attorneys.

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Huang’s wife, Taiwanese actress Summer Meng, left a message under his post almost four hours later, writing: "I love you forever. Jiayou (an expression of encouragement in Mandarin), hubby."

Meng, who has a 21-month-old daughter with Huang, also reacted to his apology with a post on her Facebook page.

"Face it bravely and live calmly," the 32-year-old wrote.

Zofia, who is now based in France, has so far not responded publicly to the apology.

In June 2023, she accused an unnamed celebrity of forcibly kissing her when she was 17 and said she was coerced into taking nude photos in a second incident.

Huang, who previously enjoyed a positive image, later admitted in a live stream on Facebook that he was the celebrity in question.

He issued an apology in three videos lasting more than 25 minutes on the same day Zofia made the accusation, before attempting self-mutilation. He was discharged from hospital a day later, with his career taking a big hit after the sexual harassment allegations emerged.

A second female netizen then came forward to accuse him of sexual harassment in 2013.

Huang broke his silence one month later with a 20,000-character post in Chinese on Facebook, expressing his apologies to his wife and alleged victims.

He was questioned by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office in August over the allegations before being released on NT$350,000 (S$15,000) bail.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.