Taiwanese Host Couldn't Find A Job After Drug Scandal, Ended Up Washing Dishes For S$4.20 An Hour

Sometimes, making the wrong choices can cost you your entire career. Taiwanese host Darryl Kuo knows this all too well.

Recently, the 48-year-old, best known for hosting Taiwan's annual Golden Bell Awards red-carpet segment, made his showbiz comeback after a 10-year hiatus.

Back in 2013, Darryl, who reportedly earned as much as NT$1.2 million (S$48,000) a month at the peak of his career, saw his reputation tarnished after he was caught smoking weed.

During an interview on Taiwanese variety show Super Lucky, Darryl revealed that he faced legal consequences following the incident, which sent his entertainment career into a tailspin.

He gradually withdrew from showbiz, and his marriage eventually ended in divorce.

With almost no money left and mortgage payments to keep up with, Darryl found himself under tremendous financial pressure.

Desperate to make ends meet, he sent out résumés to various employers and even applied for jobs at convenience stores. However, he was repeatedly turned down, with employers telling him: “We're sorry, but we can't afford to hire you.”

Eventually, Darryl managed to find work through his older brother's introduction.

He landed a job at a café near the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, where he started out as a dishwasher earning just NT$105 (S$4.20) an hour. Slowly, Darryl also got to learn how to make coffee.

Recalling one of the lowest points in his life, Darryl said the dishwashing area had a small opening overlooking the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.

One afternoon, shortly after 5pm, he was washing dishes when he noticed the neon lights around the memorial hall flashing. That was when he realised the Golden Bell Awards ceremony was taking place.

He was immediately overwhelmed with emotions.

“Last year, I was across the street hosting the red-carpet segment. This year, I was washing dishes in the café across the street,” he recalled.

“As I watched that moment unfold, I burst into tears. Even now, talking about it still brings tears to my eyes.”

Luckily, Darryl was able to pick himself up after that.

With the help of someone he calls his benefactor, Darryl co-invested in a guesthouse in Yilan, and in some way, was able to get his life back on track.