Ha Young's Self-Inflicted Blunder.. Kicking Away the 'Historical Awareness' Apology Opportunity [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

The situation for actor Ha Young has become difficult after it was revealed that his ancestors were collaborators with Japan during the colonial era. While the agency's initial response, which dismissed the issue as "baseless," also reflects a flawed historical awareness, ultimately Ha Young himself has exacerbated the problem by kicking away the opportunity to apologize for his own misguided historical perspective.

On the 11th, the public relations team for Netflix's "What a Ridiculous Love" announced that Ha Young's interview, originally scheduled for the 14th, has been cancelled. The same day, actor Jung Hae-in, who was also scheduled to give an interview, is currently discussing whether to proceed with his appearance. Even Jung Hae-in, who has done nothing wrong, has been caught in the crossfire.

Ha Young was originally scheduled to meet reporters at a café in Samcheong-dong on the 14th for an interview about the work. However, as news of his great-grandfather, physician Ahn Sang-ho's, collaboration with Japan spread and controversy grew, Ha Young decided to cancel the planned interview.

Although this day's interview was arranged to discuss the work, it appears that recent family issues surrounding Ha Young have drawn intense spotlight, prompting the cancellation of the interview.

The decision to cancel the interview proved to be a self-inflicted blunder for Ha Young. While such an apology session might feel burdensome at the moment, it could have actually served as an opportunity for Ha Young to apologize for his great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho's collaboration with Japan and for his own flawed historical awareness that he had proudly displayed on broadcast without proper understanding. Since Ha Young himself had boasted about his family's past on television, leading to what can be described as a self-inflicted scandal, there was a need to apologize for misrepresenting history and boasting inappropriately. However, facing the immediate situation, Ha Young chose to cancel the interview.

On the 7th, Ha Young appeared on KBS 2TV's variety program "Problem Children Are Here" to promote his work, revealing that he comes from a family of physicians for four generations. He stated, "My great-grandfather studied traditional Korean medicine in Japan and was the first physician to open a clinic in Hanyang," adding that he "Ko Jong (황제) even treated patients." Following the broadcast, Ahn Sang-ho, identified as Ha Young's great-grandfather, came under renewed scrutiny online regarding his past actions, sparking controversy.

Ahn Sang-ho graduated from the Tokyo Jisei Medical School in Japan in 1902 and returned to Korea to teach Western medicine. He is known to have served as a royal physician. Records indicate that he was active in "Daejeong Friendship Association," an organization with pro-Japanese characteristics during the Japanese colonial period, married a Japanese woman, and lived a Japanese-style lifestyle. Additionally, there are accounts describing him as a model family for "Ilseon Dongche" (Japan-Korea Unity), further fueling controversy surrounding his collaborationist activities.

Ha Young's agency issued a statement on the 10th regarding the allegations, initially claiming they were "baseless." However, just one day later, the agency reversed its position, stating, "We have confirmed that there is indeed a record showing Ahn Sang-ho's name listed as a council member of the Daejeong Friendship Association in 1916. We sincerely apologize for causing confusion by hastily responding with 'baseless' without sufficient verification."

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

The fallout from the controversy surrounding Ha Young is spreading to the broadcasting and advertising industries, with upcoming works being closely monitored for how the situation unfolds.

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*This content was translated by AI.