'Pro-Japan' Controversy: Is An Sang-ho an Independence Activist?.. Anyang City Keeps Introduction Private [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Amid ongoing controversy over the past pro-Japanese activities of An Sang-ho, great-grandfather of actress Ha Young (real name Ahn Ha-young), it has been reported that Gyeonggi Anyang City introduced An Sang-ho as an independence activist.

On the 11th, Anyang City converted a blog post related to An Sang-ho, originally written in 2020 by citizen reporters under the theme "75th Anniversary of Liberation: Searching for Anyang's Independence Activists," to private status.

One citizen reporter introduced An Sang-ho's medical activities and life story through the article, including phrases such as "Mr. An Sang-ho, whom I first learned about through reporting" and "There are so many independence activists in Anyang."

The post also stated, "Independence activism includes figures who take the lead in confronting Japanese leaders with action, but it also encompasses those who demonstrate that independence work can be carried out within their own spheres of influence."

However, following recent controversies over An Sang-ho's pro-Japanese activities, the post was converted to private status.

Earlier, on the 7th, Ha Young appeared on KBS 2TV's variety program "Problem Children in the Attic" and revealed that his family has been a lineage of doctors for four generations. He added, "My great-grandfather studied Western medicine in Japan and was the first doctor to open a clinic in Hanyang," stating that he even treated "Ko Jong (황제)." However, after the broadcast, past pro-Japanese activities of An Sang-ho, identified as Ha Young's great-grandfather, were re-examined, sparking controversy.

In response, Ha Young's agency issued a statement on the 10th regarding the allegations, initially claiming they were baseless. However, the agency reversed its position just one day later, confirming that records exist showing An Sang-ho's name listed as a council member of the 1916 Daetong Friendship Association. The agency stated, "We sincerely apologize for causing confusion by responding without sufficient verification."

Despite this apology, rewatch services for episodes of "Problem Children in the Attic" featuring Ha Young were suspended, and advertisement videos he appeared in were successively made private. Additionally, an interview recently released for the Netflix series "Such a Damn Love" was canceled, leading to further fallout.

Ultimately, three days after the controversy erupted, Ha Young posted a handwritten letter expressing his apologies. He said, "I deeply apologize for causing great disappointment and hurt due to matters related to my great-grandfather. I spoke about my great-grandfather based on limited knowledge as if it were family pride. I reflect on having lightly mentioned family history without properly understanding the painful history our country has endured."

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*This content was translated by AI.