Rising 'Pro-Japanese Past' Risk for Actor Ha Young Ahead of Liberation Day.. 'Ignorance' and Historical Distortion at Issue [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

As the Liberation Day approaches, controversy continues over actor Ha Young (Ahn Ha-young, 33) regarding her great-grandfather's alleged pro-Japanese activities. With the dispute now in its third day, Netflix, for which she is currently filming, has halted promotional efforts for the work. Her agency also issued a hasty statement denying the allegations about her great-grandfather's "pro-Japanese actions," later apologizing for that premature response. Even Ha Young's father stepped forward to give interviews in an attempt to quell the controversy, yet Ha Young herself has not offered any apology on air for her earlier "family boasting" — now on its third day without one.

On the 7th, Ha Young appeared alongside Jung Hae-in on KBS 2TV's variety program "Problem Children of the Attic Room" to promote a work, revealing that her family has been physicians for four generations. She stated, "My great-grandfather studied Western medicine in Japan and was the first doctor to open a clinic in Hanyang," adding that he even treated "Ko Jong (황제)." Previously, Ha Young had boasted about her family on other broadcasts, but this time's revelations drew particular attention. After the broadcast, past activities of Ahn Sang-ho, identified as Ha Young's great-grandfather, were re-examined online, sparking fresh controversy.

Ha Young's great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, graduated from Tokyo Jikei Medical School in Japan in 1902, returned to Korea, and taught Western medicine. He is known to have later served as a physician for the royal family. Records indicate he was active in "Daejeong Friendship Association," an organization with pro-Japanese characteristics during the Japanese colonial period, and that he married a Japanese woman and lived a Japanese-style life. Further records describe him as a model household under the ideology of "Ilseon Dongche" (Japan and Korea as one body), raising questions about his pro-Japanese activities.

On the 10th, Ha Young's agency initially responded to related allegations by stating they were "baseless." However, within a day, it reversed its position: "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 answering 'baseless' without sufficient verification."

It further added, "Through this incident, we 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 responsibilities with greater caution and humility."

At the outset of the controversy, the agency claimed it was unaware of the severity and stated the allegations were "baseless," only to completely reverse its stance the next day. As the dispute continued, Ha Young's father conducted an interview on behalf of the family through a media outlet. Through that channel, he apologized: "We deeply regret causing discomfort to many people regarding the controversy over my father's pro-Japanese activities. Especially with Liberation Day (the 15th) approaching and this issue involving important history from the Japanese colonial period, all family members are taking this controversy very seriously." He also acknowledged that Ahn Sang-ho — Ha Young's great-grandfather and the grandfather of Mr. A — was listed as a council member of the pro-Japanese organization Daejeong Industrial Friendship Association, stating, "As descendants, we feel heavy-hearted about this."

Nevertheless, Mr. A explained the relationship between Ahn Sang-ho and Prince Ui: "Prince Ui is known as a historical figure who strongly demonstrated his will to resist Japanese rule. When my grandfather worked at Tokyo Jikei Medical School, he was responsible for treating Prince Ui. He received an invitation from Prince Ui to return quickly to Korea and serve the nation, which led him to decide on returning home. Moreover, since he always served Prince Ui closely, we never thought he could be involved in pro-Japanese controversies." He continued, "After the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty was signed, Japanese people organized the Keijō Medical Society and engaged in collective actions. In response, Ahn Sang-ho gathered Korean physicians in 1915 to independently establish the Hanyang Medical Society, serving as its first president. This organization later evolved into today's Korean Medical Association."

Notably, Mr. A's use of the term "Japan-Korea Annexation" during this process became problematic. August 29 marks Gapsul National Humiliation Day — the day when the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty was forcibly signed and proclaimed. The treaty stipulated that "the sovereignty of the Korean Empire was ceded to Japan."

"Gapsul National Humiliation ()" signifies national shame and is also referred to as "Loss of National Sovereignty ()." In contrast, the Japanese colonial regime used terms such as "Japan-Korea Annexation ()" and "Japan-Korea Merger ()" to legitimize their own actions of seizing Korea's sovereignty.

Late that afternoon, Ha Young canceled her scheduled interview with Netflix for "Such a Ridiculous Love," originally set for the 14th. By canceling this pre-arranged interview, she missed the opportunity to naturally apologize for her distorted historical awareness and ignorance. Actor Jung Hae-in, who co-starred alongside Ha Young, also canceled his own scheduled interview on the same day.

Given that this controversy arises just before Liberation Day, interest in the "pro-Japanese allegations" continues to grow. Attention now focuses on how Ha Young will apologize for her rash boasting and what position she will take regarding the allegations concerning her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities.

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*This content was translated by AI.