HONG KONG - Six months after the Edison Chen sex photo scandal sullied her squeaky-clean image and left her career in tatters, pop star Gillian Chung says she does not hate the actor.

In an interview in Angels In The World, a compilation of articles about Emperor Entertainment Group artistes published yesterday, she said: 'I loved him once and it's meaningless to blame him. He has paid a price for this matter.'

She also explained remarks she made at the time, which became widely ridiculed. Chung, 27, apologised for the photos on Feb 11, saying she was 'very naive and very silly'.

'When I said I had been very silly, very naive, I wasn't talking about having taken the photos,' she said. 'I was talking about having loved this person wrongly.'

She added that she was in no state to explain herself better then, as she had popped half a sedative to calm herself, said Oriental Daily News, citing the book.

'At the time, I should have waited for the man to come out and explain things. However, he didn't come out and as a member of a group, I had to consider Ah Sa,' she said, referring to singing partner Charlene Choi.

She said she was unlikely to return to the limelight as a Twins member but would make a comeback in movies.