21st November 2023 – (Hong Kong) Edison Chen, the 43-year-old Hong Kong actor and entrepreneur, recently opened up about the infamous 2008 celebrity photo scandal during a press conference held in Taiwan. Chen, who had previously apologized for his involvement in the incident and announced an indefinite hiatus from the entertainment industry, took the opportunity to reflect on the past and share his thoughts.
During the interview, Chen candidly expressed his feelings about the leaked intimate photos, stating, “Back in 2008, many people thought it was the end for me. But I didn’t give up, and I didn’t lose my way. People see my Instagram and think I’m on vacation every day, but the truth is, I work every day.” Since getting married to mainland Chinese model Qin Shupei and becoming a father to their daughter Alaia, Chen has focused on family life. He emphasised that being a father is now his primary role. However, he also dedicated a significant amount of time this year to his fashion brand, CLOT.
Chen acknowledged that the pandemic had a certain impact on his business, as his stores were forced to temporarily close. Nevertheless, he expressed gratitude for the support he has received from his fans and considered this year as one of his best, citing the opportunity to recover and rebuild. He stated, “I believe this year is the best for me. It allowed me to recover, and I appreciate the continuous support from my fans.”
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Chen has publicly addressed the photo scandal. In a 2016 interview with the U.K. website SHOWstudio, he discussed the incident and admitted his wrongdoing. He said, “I don’t think I was wrong when it comes to the aspect of sex.” However, he acknowledged that he made mistakes in handling the situation and not considering the larger cultural context.
Chen reflected on his actions during the interview, saying, “I deeply believe that the occurrence of this incident was due to me not considering the larger environment and only thinking about myself. I misjudged the environment and did not respect the cultural norms of the place where I live and make a living.” He further explained, “Having sex behind closed doors happens worldwide, and I don’t think I did anything particularly wrong in that scenario. The only mistake I made was in the way I handled the situation within that cultural context. But when it comes to the aspect of sex itself, I don’t think I was wrong.” Chen also expressed frustration with how he was perceived by the public, stating, “I don’t think people wanted to hear what I had to say. They just wanted to see explosive news.” Despite the challenges he faced, he believes that the incident had a positive impact on his life, allowing him to discover his true self and grow during the ups and downs of the past eight years.