By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

A series of Hong Kong-oriented nude photo scandals involving numerous celebrities there heated up the Internet news here last week. The scandal was the third most viewed news item on Naver's most searched list last week.

On Jan. 30, local media reported several photographs purportedly showing sexual relations between Hong Kong actor Chen Kwoon Hei, 29, more widely known by his English name Edison Chen, and pop singer Gillian Chung, 28, were leaked to the Internet and rapidly reproduced throughout cyber space.

According to Hong Kong's Ming Pao newspaper, the pictures were copied from the actor's faulty computer last year when he took it in for servicing.

``A person in the shop found hidden in files in Chen's computer, confidential nude pictures of naked female stars, which were then secretly copied,'' Ming Pao reported, quoting an anonymous source.

At first the two entertainers denied the allegation, saying, ``They are doctored photographs.''

Despite their denial, hundreds of explicit pictures were posted online, cornering the actor and starlets he appeared with.

According to Hong Kong police, a total of nine female celebrities including several world-class actresses such as Cecilia Cheung, Gillian Chung and Bobo Chan had sexual relations with the actor.

The computer shop was subsequently raided by police in a widening investigation across the territory, which has led to eight arrests for infringing the obscene material law, and the seizure of hundreds of other explicit images, many unpublished.

Following the leakage, actress Cecilia Cheung and husband Nicholas Tse now live separately and Bobo Chan broke off an engagement with her fiance. Gillian Chung reportedly attempted suicide but failed.

According to Hong Kong's Apple Daily, the disgraced actor Edison Chen who is now staying in Boston with his girlfriend will return to Hong Kong on Sunday to be questioned by police.

A major suspect who was arrested on suspicion of spreading the nude photos online was released recently, according to Apple Daily on Feb. 16.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr