Johnny Hsu (徐亨)

For over 40 years, Xu Heng has been the face audiences love to hate in Taiwanese "local dramas" (xiangtu ju). A master of the memorable villain, he spent years as a background player before his breakout role as Cai Jinpao in the long-running classic Unforgettable catapulted him to fame, earning him a Golden Bell Award for Best Supporting Actor and making him one of the most recognizable faces on Taiwanese television. Breakthrough Role Xu's breakthrough role came with the 2004 mega-hit Unforgettable, one of Taiwan's longest-running television epics. Playing the villainous Cai Jinpao, Xu delivered a performance that was both detestable and darkly charismatic, earning him the 41st Golden Bell Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2006. When the series was later broadcast on CCTV and became a phenomenon across the strait, Xu's portrayal introduced him to millions of new viewers, forever cementing Cai Jinpao — and Xu Heng — as iconic figures in the annals of Taiwanese television history. Public Perception Xu Heng is, without question, a beloved "familiar face" to Taiwanese audiences, whose career has spanned iconic shows like Justice Bao, Night Market Life, and recently The Sound of Crying. On set, he's known for being a consummate professional who can switch from a fierce screen persona to a hilarious joke-teller the moment the camera stops, earning respect from peers and a reputation for genuine warmth and humor. However, off-screen, Xu Heng has faced immense personal turmoil. He declared bankruptcy in 2012, citing debts from failed business ventures, a struggle that has publicly continued in the years since. Through it all, for many viewers, Xu Heng remains a symbol of resilience and a performer they have grown up with — someone who, despite any real-life hardship, can still command the screen and earn their empathy with every layered performance of a complicated character.