Kai Ko burst into tears on Friday as he expressed his regret for using drugs following his release from detention.

"I was wrong, without any reason or excuse," he said at the start of a packed news conference in Beijing. Then, overcome by emotion, he sat down as camera flashes lit up the room.

He repeated the word "sorry", adding: "I have to face and fix the error."

The 23-year-old actor from Taiwan, also known as Ko Chen-tung, was released at midnight on Thursday after spending 14 days in detention.

"This event will be my ugly scar. As long as it is on my body, I will see it forever," he said.

Ko recalled the joy he felt when he first entered the entertainment industry in 2011, and said he regretted making his family unhappy and setting a bad example for his fans.

"I will try my best to do better and win opportunities by revealing positive energy and information in the future," he said.

However, observers say Ko will probably be prevented from making films on the mainland in future.

He promised to fully cooperate with any further investigations after returning to Taiwan.

He said he will respect producers' decisions on whether to delete scenes in upcoming movies in which he appears.

He said he did not know anything about the status of Jaycee Chan, son of Hong Kong kung fu star Jackie Chan. The pair were arrested at the younger Chan's Beijing apartment on Aug 14, reportedly for smoking marijuana.

"It's all our own wrong choices; I don't blame him," Ko said.

His parents remained poker-faced for most of the 25-minute press conference, but his father made a short statement.

"We used to love him without a stern attitude," he said. "We have usually respected his decisions. Now, we'll continue to offer him love, but more rigorously."

Ko and Chan are the most recent names to be added to a long list of drug-using stars in China. Actor Gao Hu was arrested earlier this month.

"I hope Ko will come back to the screen," said Han Siyang, a 24-year-old fan who rushed from Qinhuangdao, Hebei province, to see his idol at the news conference.

"I think it's unfair for the media to keep kicking him when he knows he made a mistake. Everyone deserves a second chance."

wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 09/01/2014 page6)