Despite the tabloid swirl around his personal life, Japanese actor Sakaguchi Kentaro kept his date with the Busan International Film Festival, honoring his commitment to the opening ceremony.
The 30th BIFF kicked off Wednesday evening in Haeundae, drawing a who’s-who of Asian cinema. The red carpet began at 6 p.m., and among the most-watched arrivals was Sakaguchi, fresh off a run of headline-making reports in Japan.
Sakaguchi was invited to this year’s festival with his new film "The Final Piece", with screenings and media appearances on the schedule. But after Shūkan Bunshun published stories alleging he was living with a stylist while also being romantically linked to actress Nagano Mei―fueling “two-timing” and “love triangle” chatter―plans changed.
Wednesday marked his first official public appearance since those reports. With intense attention from both Japanese and Korean press, Sakaguchi canceled his scheduled interviews and a press conference; BIFF cited “guest circumstances.”
Even so, he stepped onto the opening night red carpet, keeping his promise to the festival. He looked a touch tense at first, but soon flashed a smile for the photographers.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)