'Ancestor Controversial for Collaboration with Japan' Hah Young Boasted, 'Descendant of Jeong Yak-yong' Jung Hae-in Also Cancels Interview [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

As controversy over the collaboration with Japan by Ahn Sang-ho, Hah Young's great-grandfather, continues to grow, Jung Hae-in, known as a "descendant of Jeong Yak-yong," has also been avoiding media coverage. It appears that sparks from Hah Young, who issued no apology following her agency's statement, have landed on Jung Hae-in as well.

On the 11th, the production team behind Netflix's "Such a Ridiculous Love" announced that interviews with lead actors Jung Hae-in and Hah Young, originally scheduled for the 14th, would be "unavoidably" cancelled. Hah Young was the first to cancel her interview; after discussions by Jung Hae-in's side regarding whether to proceed, ultimately, even Jung Hae-in's interview was cancelled.

Jung Hae-in and Hah Young were originally scheduled to meet with reporters at a café in Samcheong-dong to discuss their work. However, as Hah Young's boast about her great-grandfather, physician Ahn Sang-ho, who appeared on broadcast, spread across online platforms, sparking controversy, Netflix reportedly decided it would be better not to proceed with the interview. While this interview was arranged to discuss the work itself, recent family issues surrounding Hah Young made it likely that attention would shift from the project to other controversies, prompting the cancellation decision.

What is regrettable is that Hah Young herself has not taken any stance on the controversy and missed the opportunity to apologize for her flawed historical awareness and her boasting about an ancestor suspected of collaboration with Japan through this interview. As of now, Hah Young has issued no apology whatsoever. Consequently, Jung Hae-in has also remained silent.

On the 7th, during a broadcast of KBS 2TV's variety program "Problem Children in High School," Hah Young appeared alongside Jung Hae-in to promote their work and revealed that her family had been physicians for four generations. She stated, "My great-grandfather studied Western medicine in Japan and was the first physician to open a clinic in Hanyang," adding that he "Ko Jong (황제) until his death." Following the broadcast, past activities of Ahn Sang-ho, identified as Hah Young's great-grandfather, were re-examined online, triggering fresh controversy.

Ahn Sang-ho graduated from Jihai Medical School in Tokyo, Japan, in 1902, returned to Korea, and taught Western medicine. He is known to have served as a physician for the royal family. Records indicate he was active in "Daejeong Friendship Association," an organization with pro-Japanese collaboration characteristics during the Japanese colonial period, married a Japanese woman, and lived a Japanese-style lifestyle. Reports also describe him as a model household under the ideology of "Ilseon Dongche" (Japan and Korea as one body), further fueling controversy over his pro-Japanese activities.

Hah Young's agency issued a statement on the 10th regarding these allegations, initially claiming they were "baseless." However, just one day later, they reversed their position, stating, "We have confirmed that records exist showing Ahn Sang-ho was 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."

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

The initial controversy was problematic not only because the agency claimed it was "baseless" without understanding the severity, then completely reversed its stance the next day, but more significantly, because Hah Young herself offered no apology for boasting about an ancestor suspected of collaboration with Japan. Based on historical records, she appears to show no shame in having benefited from her ancestors' pro-Japanese activities, presenting a life of prosperity across generations.

The fallout from the controversy surrounding Hah Young is spreading into the broadcasting and advertising industries, with upcoming works also closely monitoring the situation's developments.

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*This content was translated by AI.