Taipei, Taiwan – The 61st Golden Bell Awards announced its nomination list on Tuesday, securing a spot for the popular variety show Play Big in the coveted “Variety Program Award” category. However, in a surprising turn, the show’s hosting trio—Jacky Wu, KID Lin, and Energy member Kunda—were conspicuously absent from the “Variety Show Host Award” shortlist.
The snub comes amid lingering scrutiny over Kunda’s involvement in a military service controversy last year. The entertainer publicly admitted his mistake and apologized, leading his management agency to temporarily suspend all public appearances for the boy band Energy. Kunda also took a leave of absence from Play Big, throwing the hosting lineup into flux and fueling speculation that the controversy may have cost the team its nomination.
Huang Kuo-hua, head of the program category jury, firmly dismissed such theories. Speaking to Taiwanese media, Huang stated that the evaluation process strictly adhered to professional performance during the competition itself, with off-stage matters playing no role. “There is no such concern,” Huang said. “Before taking on this role, we discussed with the Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development. The Golden Bell is a competitive award, not an encouragement award.”
The same fate befell Dee Hsu, known as Xiao S, whose talk show Miss Xiao S remains a frontrunner in the online voting for the “Most Popular Variety Program” award. Despite the program’s popularity, Hsu failed to break into the host nomination circle.
Addressing her exclusion, Huang explained that the jury engaged in thorough deliberation before reaching its decision. “It’s not that she is lacking in any way,” he said. “Other candidates simply delivered more outstanding performances this year.” Huang was quick to clarify that Hsu’s showing was in no way a regression from previous years, adding that the jury’s collective assessment deemed the other nominees’ overall work more noteworthy this cycle.
The announcement sets the stage for a competitive ceremony, with other categories featuring notable clashes. The drama segment will see Vic Chou and Tseng Ching-hua vying for Best Actor, while actresses Yang Kuei-mei and Ko Chia-yen find themselves in a so-called “group of death.” Meanwhile, the miniseries category boasts Chin Han in a strong bid for Best Actor, with Shu Qi, Lee Sin-je, and Audrey Hsieh contending for Best Actress.
The 61st Golden Bell Awards ceremony is expected to take place in the coming weeks, celebrating excellence across Taiwan’s television and streaming industries. As the industry grapples with questions of merit versus popularity, this year’s nominations underscore a pointed commitment to on-screen craft above all else.
