IT'S hard to walk away from a marriage even when it is already in tatters.

Take it from Taiwanese actress-host Karen Hu Yin-chen (better known as Xiao Chen), who made headlines recently after her husband - renowned plastic surgeon Li Jin-liang - was caught by paparazzi going about his philandering ways for the umpteenth time.

"It's just like that," she said, when quizzed by the local media about her much-talked-about marital woes.

"Like I've said earlier, I'm still considering (whether to salvage or end my marriage).

"But we have a kid, so of course we're still staying together right now."

Hu, 28, was speaking from Taipei, where she is busy filming episodes of Lady Commander Plus, a popular talk show she co-hosts with Sam Tseng and Jane Lee.

Lady Commander Plus, showing daily on Star Chinese Channel (StarHub TV Ch 822) at 11pm, sees the affable trio discussing topics revolving around love, relationships and family.

For someone who often comes across as bubbly and straight-shooting on the small screen, Hu sounded subdued over the phone.

Recent spate of scandals

Perhaps the recent spate of scandals that rocked her personal life had made her wary and withdrawn.

Hu, whose dad is veteran variety show host Hu Gua, registered her marriage with Li in 2007.

Their daughter, Emma, is now nearly six years old.

Even before the couple officially tied the knot, Li had built an unsavoury reputation for himself within showbiz circles as a ladies' man.

Since 2006, the Taiwanese media has photographed him routinely flirting with a string of girls behind Hu's back - from a Japanese adult video model to minor Taiwanese celebrities.

While in the past, Hu had always publicly defended him, giving excuses like "you've misunderstood AhLiang (her nickname for Li)", latest photos taken last month of Li hanging out with two women in a single night - at a KTV club and hotel respectively - appeared to be the last straw for Hu.

A couple of weeks ago, she told the Taiwanese press tearfully: "It's been eight years... There were many occasions and opportunities for things to be put right.

"If I can't keep his heart, there's really no point holding on... I will decide and choose to let go when the time comes."

During our phone interview, Hu's co-host and gal pal Lee, 35, was also present.

While Lee, who is married with two children, made no mention of her friend's problems, one local journalist brought up the subject of marriage.

She asked: "So, will your husbands get angry when you ladies talk openly about your first loves on television?"

There was a slight pause at the other end of the line.

"No, it isn't a problem at all," said Hu finally.

"My husband knows about my first boyfriend," quipped Lee.

"As for me, my first love happened so long ago," Hu said.

"It's so distant, it feels like somewhat around the time I was born!"

This article was first published in The New Paper.