"Sorry for Hurting the Opponent's Male Family"
"Direct Apology to Our Family and Three Children"
Ryoko Hirosue (44), a Japanese actress who rose to stardom in Asia from the 1990s to the early 2000s, opened up about her feelings following her second-ever 'affair scandal.'
The Japanese monthly magazine "Bungeishunju" recently published an interview with Ryoko Hirosue. Earlier, Hirosue had admitted to an affair with a famous chef last year, which led to controversy after she divorced her ex-husband Candle Jun.
Regarding the 'affair incident,' she said, "I wanted to apologize for causing worry and inconvenience," adding, "From the beginning, I expressed my intention to hold a press conference. However, since it was not only a personal matter but also involved many people connected to the 'product' called Ryoko Hirosue, various opinions were exchanged, and it could not be realized."
The affair controversy erupted in June last year when the Japanese weekly magazine "Shukan Bunshun" claimed that Ryoko Hirosue and Michelin one-star chef Toba Shusaku were involved in an affair. The publication also revealed what was presumed to be handwritten letters exchanged between the two at the time.
After the controversy grew, Ryoko Hirosue admitted to the affair, saying, "I am most sorry for hurting and causing distress to the family of the other man. I have apologized directly to my family and our three children," and bowed her head, adding, "They understood and accepted me as an immature mother." She then proceeded with divorce proceedings from her ex-husband Candle Jun. Custody of the three sons was granted to the mother.
In the interview, Ryoko Hirosue said, "I have to continue working, but I could not live as if nothing had happened," emphasizing, "If there are people who dislike that I have not said anything about the affair, I felt the need to officially apologize not only personally but also as an actress."
This is the second time she has been involved in an affair controversy. In 2014, she was also rumored to have had an affair with actor Sato Takeru, who is nine years her junior, but she denied it at the time.
Meanwhile, Ryoko Hirosue is known as a top Japanese star popular across Asia from the 1990s to the early 2000s and nicknamed the 'Nation's Little Sister.' She gained fame in Korea as well by appearing in Japanese films such as "Railroad Man" and "Secret."
She married her first husband, model Okazawa Takahiro, in 2003 but separated after five years. In 2010, she remarried Candle Jun (real name Hirosue Jun), a candle artist, but divorced last year.
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