"A Proud Ancestor? Go to Sorokdo"... 'Wish' Writer Publicly Condemns Ha Young's "Pro-Japanese Family" [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Amid heated controversy over actress Ha Young's great-great-grandfather being a pro-Japanese collaborator, writer So Jae-won of the film 'Wish' has once again launched a public attack.

On the 11th, via her personal SNS, writer So Jae-won stated, "Regarding her unbearably light-hearted family boasting, I wish to share this story with caution and even more caution," revealing her own experience visiting Sorokdo. She conveyed the painful reality that "Sorokdo is a place where, during the Japanese colonial era and in the Republic of Korea, one can never speak with pride."

Recently, Ha Young publicly boasted about her family's lineage as a "fourth-generation medical family" on KBS 2TV's variety program 'Problem Children Are Here!' She claimed, "My great-great-grandfather was among those who first introduced Western medicine in Hanyang at the time," and added that "after studying medicine in Japan, he opened the first clinic in Hanyang and treated Ko Jong (황제)."

However, following revelations that Ha Young's great-great-grandfather was Dr. Ahn Sang-ho, a physician active during the Japanese colonial era, suspicions of pro-Japanese collaboration arose. As the controversy over her great-great-grandfather unfolded, further allegations regarding her grandfather An Bu-ho (Prof.)'s work history at Sorokdo Hospital and other family members have continued to surface. Ha Young's side confirmed that records exist showing Dr. Ahn Sang-ho was listed as a councilor in the 1916 Daetong Friendship Association roster and issued an apology.

According to the 'Human Rights Survey of Hansen's Disease Patients' released by the National Human Rights Commission in 2005, Sorokdo Hospital performed vasectomies on 1,191 Hansen's disease patients from 1949 to 1958 during Kim Sang-tae (Director)'s tenure (1948–1954). At the time, a policy was also implemented allowing only couples who had undergone vasectomies to cohabit.

At Sorokdo Hospital at that time, experiments were conducted by inserting needles into patients' chests to detect bacteria from bone marrow. These experiments caused extreme pain to patients; some reportedly died after their health rapidly deteriorated following the procedures. Even worse, patient corpses were used for anatomical practice without the consent of their families. Autopsies continued until the 1960s, forced isolation until the 1970s, and abortions and sterilization surgeries until the 1980s.

Regarding this issue, writer So Jae-won stated, "For ordinary people, medicine was a benevolent art that saved lives, but in Sorokdo, it became an art of killing." She continued, "If you have such a proud and honorable ancestor, go to Sorokdo. Confront the tragic history of the Japanese colonial era and what the Republic of Korea did there! With your own eyes and ears, confirm how your three-inch tongue has trivialized such precious sacrifices and this unjust, grievous history!" She raised her voice in condemnation.

Notably, she added the hashtag "#TheTruthAboutHistoryThatActorHaYoungWantsToTell," drawing significant attention.

Meanwhile, Ha Young's side issued a formal apology: "Recently, while responding to questions during appearances on broadcast programs, we mentioned our family's four-generation medical legacy. This unintentionally sparked controversy. The actress herself is deeply burdened by this matter. Ha Young has taken this incident to heart and will approach future situations with greater caution and humility. Thank you."

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*This content was translated by AI.