A family of doctors stirs up trouble... 'Pro-Japan controversy' over Ha Young, eventually reviving 'The Masked Lady' from 12 years ago [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

The controversy surrounding actor Ha Young (33, Ahn Ha-young) regarding her family's pro-Japanese past has revived a drama that ended 14 years ago. Critics are pointing out that Woo Byung-jun, a character in the 2012 KBS 2TV drama "The Masked Lady," bears a striking resemblance to Ha Young's great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho, who was identified as a pro-Japanese collaborator.

"The Masked Lady" is a Wednesday-Thursday drama based on the manga of the same name by Heo Yeong-man. It premiered on May 30, 2012, and ran for 28 episodes until September 6 of that year. Set in Gyeongseong during the Japanese colonial period, the story follows an unidentified figure known as "The Masked Lady," who wears a mask and traditional Korean attire, punishing pro-Japanese collaborators and traitors to protect Koreans.

Joo Won and Jin Se-yeon starred in the series, dominating television screens. With viewership ratings exceeding 20%, it became one of the year's most successful dramas, ranking first among Wednesday-Thursday dramas on all three major terrestrial networks. The show brought attention not only to Joo Won and Jin Se-yeon but also to actors such as Park Ki-woong and Han Chae-a.

"The Masked Lady" is hailed as a patriotic drama and continues to be regarded as a well-made production even today. However, due to the recent controversy surrounding Ha Young's great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities, the drama has once again come under scrutiny, specifically because of the character Woo Byung-jun, portrayed by actor Kim Gyu-cheol.

Woo Byung-jun is depicted as the director of a hospital affiliated with Jo Seon (총독). Originally serving as the personal physician to Crown Prince Yi Gang (King Gojong), he betrayed Lee Seon, the father of the rebel brothers Lee Kang-to and his sibling, and later rose to become the head of the Governor-General's Hospital with the assistance of pro-Japanese figure Ueno.

The great-grandfather who sparked this controversy is Ahn Sang-ho, a physician active during the Japanese colonial period. During an appearance on KBS 2TV's variety show "Problem Children in the Attic," Ha Young stated, "My great-grandfather opened the first Yang (Rep.) clinic in Hanyang and treated Ko Jong (황제) patients." She proudly described her family as a four-generation lineage of doctors, tracing back from her great-grandfather to her grandfather, father, and older sister.

Ahn Sang-ho was indeed a physician who treated King Gojong and was listed on the 1916 membership roster of the pro-Japanese organization Daejeong Chingokhoe. The character setting of Woo Byung-jun — "a personal physician to King Gojong who later colluded with the Governor-General's Office" — eerily aligns with Ahn Sang-ho's actual history as a doctor who treated the king and later joined a pro-Japanese organization.

Furthermore, there are records indicating that Ahn Sang-ho was among the physicians who saved Lee Wan-yong. According to a paper published in Volume 32 of the National Institute of Korean History's "National History Review," on December 22, 1909, Lee Wan-yong was attacked with a dagger by independence activist Dr. Lee Jae-myung at Seoul Myeong-dong Cathedral. He survived despite being stabbed three times, reportedly due to receiving Korea's first thoracic surgery. Ahn Sang-ho is said to have been among the medical team involved in that procedure.

In the drama, unlike other villainous pro-Japanese characters, Woo Byung-jun survives until the final episode without being punished by The Masked Lady. He is one of the few characters who escapes retribution even within the satisfying conclusion of the story. Some viewers have drawn parallels between this plot point and the bitter reality of pro-Japanese collaborators who were never held accountable, expressing heightened anger toward their descendants.

As the controversy continued day after day, Ha Young issued a statement via her personal social media: "I believe that the fact I was unaware of this does not justify ignoring or trivializing this history. I deeply accept this fault and sincerely apologize as a descendant. It is especially regrettable that my shortcomings have caused public outrage just before the anniversary of Korea's Liberation Day."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.