Taiwan’s infamous “Prison Break King”, 75-year-old Hsu Kai-Hsi has turned his life around after a whopping 51-year sentence and escaping eight times.
Now a free man, he has found fame as an internet personality, sharing stories of his extraordinary past.
From teen delinquent to notorious fugitive
Hsu reportedly grew up in a military dependents’ village in Taichung, being the son of an Air Force general.
However, instead of following in his father’s footsteps, he joined a gang at just 14 years old and quickly found himself entangled in a life of crime.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he became a key figure in a notorious criminal syndicate led by Tung En-tien, robbing over 50 jewelry stores across Taiwan.
However, what made him truly infamous was his prison escapes—eight successful breakouts, including a legendary one in 1981, where he dressed in a wig and women’s clothing to flee Green Island Prison.
In a bold move, he even called the prison after his escape, taunting authorities by saying:
I’m already in Kaohsiung, stop wasting your energy searching Green Island!”
Internet fame after four years of freedom
Since his release four years ago, Hsu has swapped prison bars for the digital screen. In November last year, he launched his own video series, filmed and edited by a dedicated team.
So far, he has uploaded 29 short videos, amassing over 500,000 likes. His content? A mix of life reflections, crime confessions, and escape stories—all told with a raw and candid tone that keeps audiences hooked.
Despite looking frail, Hsu still has sharp, piercing eyes, and his storytelling style has captivated netizens.
However, he also doesn’t shy away from discussing the consequences of his past, revealing that he struggled to adjust to society after release and even lost over NT$3 million (RM440,000) to a scam.
Reunion after 50 years leaves him in tears
In December last year, Hsu documented an emotional airport reunion with his two sisters, who have been living in the U.S. for decades.
He admitted he was more nervous meeting them than escaping from prison, as they hadn’t seen each other for 50 years.
When his sisters finally arrived, he broke down in tears, saying:
This might be the last time I see them in this lifetime.”
He also expressed deep regret for spending most of his life in jail, missing the chance to care for his parents in their old age.
A cautionary tale behind the fame
While Hsu’s prison break stories have drawn public fascination, Taiwanese media like Liberty Times have pointed out that he spent three-quarters of his life behind bars and paid a heavy price for his crimes.
Law enforcement officials also weighed in, saying that while his story might sound thrilling, the reality of wasting most of one’s life in prison is anything but glamorous.
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