Hah Young ♥ Jung Hae-yeon, Was it a tragic encounter? "...A meeting between the descendants of pro-Japanese collaborator Ahn Sang-ho and the descendants of Jeong Yak-yong." [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Following allegations that Hah Young's great-grandfather, physician Ahn Sang-ho, was a pro-Japanese collaborator, the ancestors of Hah Young and Jung Hae-yeon, who met as co-stars in a drama, are being re-examined.

On the 11th, comments criticizing Hah Young's grandparents' pro-Japanese activities appeared on Hah Young's Instagram, including: "Pro-Japanese collaborator?", "You should be ashamed standing next to Jeong Hae-yeon, grandson of Dasan Jeong Yak-yong," "I recommend the drama 'Mr. Sunshine'," "Lee Wan-yong was a member of the Daetong Friendship Association that Ahn Sang-ho joined," and "A meeting between the descendants of Dasan Jeong Yak-yong and the descendants of Ahn Sang-ho, a councilor of the pro-Japanese Daetong Friendship Association during the Japanese colonial era."

Hah Young was especially compared to Jung Hae-yeon's ancestors after starring alongside him in the Netflix drama "What a Ridiculous Love," which was released on the 7th.

Jung Hae-yeon is known to be a direct descendant of Jeong Hak-yu, the second son of Dasan Jeong Yak-yong. In this regard, Jung Hae-yeon previously stated on tvN's "You Quiz on the Block," which aired in October 2024, that he is a descendant of the second son of Teacher Jeong Yak-yong.

At that time, Jung Hae-yeon said, "I lived with my grandfather and grandmother when I was young, so I heard (stories about Jeong Yak-yong) very often," adding, "Back then, since I didn't know much about history, it didn't resonate much. However, as I grew up and studied history, I began to feel a sense of pride." He also conveyed, "I also came to think that I need to be more careful with my actions."

Jeong Yak-yong was a leading scholar and statesman representing the late Joseon Dynasty, recognized as one of Korea's greatest intellectual geniuses who left outstanding achievements in various fields including academia, science and technology, administration, and literature.

In contrast, Hah Young's great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho is known to have graduated from the Tokyo Jai Medical School in Japan in 1902, returned to Korea, and taught Western medicine. He later served as a royal physician. Records indicate he married a Japanese woman and lived a Japanese-style life, and it was revealed that he participated in medical treatment during the death of Emperor Gojong in 1919, raising suspicions of pro-Japanese collaboration.

The allegations regarding Ahn Sang-ho's pro-Japanese activities surfaced when Hah Young appeared on KBS 2TV's variety program "Problem Children in the Attic," which aired on the 7th, revealing that her family has been a lineage of physicians for four generations. At that time, Hah Young said, "My great-grandfather went to Japan to learn Western medicine and was the first doctor to open a clinic in Hanyang," adding, "Ko Jong (황제) also received medical treatment from him."

As controversy arose over Hah Young's great-grandfather, an official from her agency told StarNews, "It is true that Hah Young's great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho," but regarding the pro-Japanese activities of Ahn Sang-ho raised online, stated, "There are parts that differ from the facts." Later, it was also revealed that Hah Young's grandfather was An Bu-ho (Prof.), and the agency clarified, "It is correct that Hah Young's grandfather is An Bu-ho (Prof.)," adding, "Hah Young's father An Byeong-mun (Director) was born on Jeju Island while his father was working at the Sorokdo Hospital."

An Bu-ho (Prof.) was a medical scholar who laid the foundation for modern Korean medicine and clinical pathology, devoting his life to the treatment and research of Hansen's disease (leprosy) patients. After graduating from Keijō Medical School, he served as a professor in the Department of Pathology at Chonnam National University Medical School and holds the record as Korea's first medical doctorate holder.

Along with Hah Young's side's statement, the controversy grew further as theories about Ahn Sang-ho poisoning Emperor Gojong and Sorokdo, where Ahn Bang-ho was located, being a place where human rights violations such as sterilization, abortion, and dissection practice were conducted against Hansen's disease patients were re-examined. Additionally, controversy arose over allegations that Hah Young's side provided false statements regarding her great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho.

In response, Hah Young's agency stated on the 11th, "We would like to clarify the part we previously said was 'baseless'," adding, "Upon further verification, we confirmed that there is indeed a record showing that Great-Grandfather Ahn Sang-ho's name appeared on the list of councilors of the Daetong Friendship Association in 1916." They continued, "We sincerely apologize for causing confusion by hastily responding with 'baseless' without sufficient verification."

The agency stated, "Through this incident, we deeply realized how crucial careful verification is when conveying historical facts and an individual's biography to the public," adding, "Hah Young has also taken this matter to heart and will approach future matters with even greater caution and humility."

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*This content was translated by AI.