"A descendant of a pro-Japanese collaborator..." Is Son Na-eun's Ha Young being given a stern lesson? JTBC YouTube 'Gamdasal' [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

As actress Ha Young acknowledged her great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese activities, a drama clip video on the JTBC drama YouTube channel that evokes Ha Young’s case has become a hot topic.

On the 12th, the YouTube channel 'DRAMA Voyage' (Drama Bwayeoji) uploaded a video titled "You guys donated airplanes to your grandfathers Jo Seon (총독)" — A collection of stern lessons for descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators | Daehaengsa | Melon in My Body | JTBC broadcast 190809 and more.

The video included selected scenes from past JTBC dramas 'Daehaengsa' and 'Melon in My Body' that mentioned "pro-Japanese collaborators." In 'Daehaengsa', Kang Han-na (played by Son Na-eun) had a tense exchange with a friend during a drinking session. Another friend tried to mediate, saying, "You guys keep fighting endlessly. Sometimes relations between Korea and Japan can be good. Let’s get along better sometimes." Kang Han-na retorted, "That sounds exactly like what a descendant of a pro-Japanese collaborator would say," adding, "Your grandfathers donated airplanes to Jo Seon (총독). That’s how they built their chaebol empires through business."

In 'Melon in My Body', Lee Eun-jeong (played by Jeon Yeo-bin) was shown creating a documentary about descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators alongside her boyfriend Hongdae (played by Han Jun-woo). Hongdae said, "I’ve gathered some descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators here. Some are friends of friends. If you mix the stories around, it’s not bad. They’re rude and live recklessly. But they’re smart. You have to be smart to do hateful things well." He helped Eun-jeong, who then produced a documentary titled "Pro-Japanese Collaborators, Their Lives Afterward: Japan Was Too Kind to Me," which became a box office hit. Eun-jeong made the documentary with 100 million won and attracted 3 million viewers, becoming a billionaire.

'Daehaengsa' aired in 2023, while 'Melon in My Body' aired in 2019. This video was uploaded at a time when Ha Young faced controversy over her great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese activities and has since drawn significant attention. The video surpassed 70,000 views within one day of release, recording high viewership among the 'Drama Bwayeoji' channel's content.

Netizens commented, "Rowing against the current when you’re already soaked," "Liberation Day is in two days," "You’ve come this far, Ha Young," "I checked how many great-grandfathers Ha Young has and now this is trending," "They’re openly targeting such a gap; we couldn’t ignore it."

Others expressed amazement with remarks like, "It seems the editor knows how to play with algorithms?", "To upload this now," "I think I know who the thumbnail message is directed at," "Editor’s sense," "This is refreshing," "They even installed a motor when you were already soaked," "Ha Young algorithm."

Ha Young sparked controversy by appearing on KBS 2TV’s variety program 'Problem Children in House' aired on the 7th, where she introduced herself as coming from a four-generation family of doctors tracing back to her great-grandfather. It was revealed that Ha Young’s great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho, a doctor with pro-Japanese activities.

In response, Ha Young posted a handwritten apology on social media on the 12th: "I sincerely apologize for causing great disappointment and pain to everyone due to matters related to my great-grandfather. Recently, upon learning about my great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho’s past actions, I have reflected deeply on our family history with a heavy heart."

She added, "Through stories passed down within the family, I only knew fragments of my great-grandfather’s life. Regrettably, in that state of ignorance, I brought up stories about him at various occasions as if boasting about my family. Through this incident, while searching for relevant materials myself, I learned of my great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese activities. I reflect on how I lightly mentioned our family history without properly understanding the painful period of Japanese colonial rule in Korea’s history."

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*This content was translated by AI.