Actor Jang Shin-young appers on SBS TV's "My Little Old Boy," aired on Sunday. Courtesy of SBS

Renowned actor Jang Shin-young, who faced a challenging period following her husband and actor Kang Kyung-joon's infidelity scandal, opened up about her emotional struggles during an appearance on Sunday's episode of SBS TV reality show "My Little Old Boy."

Jang went through significant pressure ahead of her appearance due to the flood of media coverage surrounding her guest role, the production team said. However, the warm welcome from the show hosts and the group of celebrity moms featured on the show helped ease her nerves as she stepped onto the set.

For the first time, Jang reflected on the 10-month period that followed the scandal, admitting, "It would be a lie to say it wasn't hard."

Jang said that despite the challenges, divorce was never something she wanted. "Rather than saying, 'I can't live with you anymore,' I thought about how we could move forward in a way that would cause the least pain for our children so that they could continue to live happily and confidently as before," she said.

Jang revealed her reasons for being the first to reach out to her husband. "After everything happened, I was completely lost and couldn't think clearly. Nothing made sense to me," she said. "At one point, I looked at my husband, and he seemed so vulnerable, almost like he was stripped bare. As his wife, it was difficult to witness."

Jang explained that she approached him and said, "'I want to hold your hand, but is it okay if I do that?' He responded, 'I feel ashamed and sorry, and I have nothing to say, but I will apologize.' So, I told him, 'Then let's move forward together.'"

Reflecting on her decision, she added, "Even looking back now, I have no regrets."

Jang married Kang in 2018 and gave birth to their son in 2019. She also has an 18-year-old son from her previous marriage.

Actors Kang Kyung-joon, left, and Jang Shin-young / Captured from Jang's Instagram

In December 2023, Kang faced accusations of having an affair with a married woman, with the woman's husband filing a lawsuit against him. The husband claimed that Kang knowingly engaged in the affair despite being aware of her marital status.

When the lawsuit initially came to light, Kang's representatives stated that it was challenging to verify the specifics due to the personal nature of the matter. However, in July, Kang agreed to pay 50 million won ($37,000) in damages as demanded by the plaintiff, leading the court to close the case with a settlement.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.