"This family is dirty." Ha Young, 'Descendant of a Pro-Japanese Collaborator' Controversy Triggers Chilling 13-Year-Old Anonymous Post [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Who wrote the anonymous post from 13 years ago?

Recently, an online community spotlighted a post uploaded on May 18, 2013, titled "I can confess because I'm anonymous."

The author of the post, identified as A, stated, "My great-great-grandfather is suspected of poisoning Ko Jong (황제), a physician. I first learned about this four years ago. He even appeared on TV. Just briefly, his name only."

A continued, "To be honest, our family has been well-off for generations. I'm not entirely sure, but I've heard we've lived comfortably since long ago. The fact that we lived without major issues even during the Japanese colonial period suggests that my great-great-grandfather started it, and my grandfather was also a pro-Japanese collaborator. It's disgusting. I regret being born in this house."

The TV broadcast mentioned by A is believed to be KBS's "History Special" episode titled "Ko Jong (황제), The Truth Behind His Death," which aired in August 2009. At the time, "History Special" referenced Ha Young's great-grandfather, An Sang-ho.

An Sang-ho was known as Korea's first licensed physician but faced pro-Japanese collaboration controversies after it emerged that he served as a councilor for the pro-Japanese organization "Daejeong Industrial Friendship Association." In a 1918 interview with the Japanese newspaper Maeil Shinbo, which held institutional investor status in Jo Seon (총독), he was quoted saying, "I am like a Japanese person; I wear Japanese clothing and my wife is Japanese." Additionally, in 1919, he faced poisoning allegations after failing to treat Ko Jong (황제), who had collapsed at the time.

Recently, Ha Young appeared on a variety show and proudly mentioned her family's four-generation legacy in medicine while answering questions. However, when fatal allegations of pro-Japanese collaboration surrounding An Sang-ho surfaced, Ha Young's agency, Bisters Entertainment, initially denied the claims on the 10th, stating they were baseless, even though it confirmed that her great-grandfather was indeed the physician An Sang-ho.

However, after various allegations of pro-Japanese collaboration regarding An Sang-ho were confirmed as factual, the agency abruptly reversed its official stance and bowed in apology on the 11th.

Ha Young's side stated, "Upon further verification, we confirmed that records exist showing An Sang-ho was listed as a councilor of the Daejeong Friendship Association in 1916. We sincerely apologize for causing confusion by hastily responding with 'baseless' without sufficient verification." They added, "The actor herself is deeply troubled by the unintended controversy, and our company has realized how crucial careful verification is when conveying historical facts and an individual's biography to the public. Ha Young will also take this matter to heart and approach it with humility."

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*This content was translated by AI.