Jung Hae-in was Jung Hae-in, but the 'This Is a Ridiculous Love' [★FOCUS] event was overshadowed by controversy surrounding Ha Young's collaboration with Japan.

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Jung Hae-in once again proved his strengths with delicate emotional expression, romance acting, and world-class action skills. However, an unexpected variable was too large to fully enjoy the lingering impression left by the work.

The Netflix series "This Is a Ridiculous Love," released on the 7th, is a romantic comedy depicting the heart-fluttering cohabitation life between prosecutor Go Eun-sae (played by Ha Young), who suffers from amnesia, and boxing coach Jang Tae-ha (played by Jung Hae-in), who insists on being her self-proclaimed boyfriend.

For Jung Hae-in, this was undoubtedly another successful work. As the central axis driving the drama, he skillfully adjusted the emotional pace, conveying the character's sincerity persuasively without excessive expression. The "standard of pure love" portrayed by Jung Hae-in demonstrated value beyond mere familiarity.

This further confirmed his reputation as a "master of romance," previously established through works such as "My Lovely Liar," "Spring Night," and "Mom's Friend's Son."

His action acting also shone brightly. Jung Hae-in captured the desperation of Jang Tae-ha, who throws himself into danger to protect his loved one amidst intense action sequences. The action infused with the character's emotions elevated the drama's tension and immersion beyond mere spectacle.

However, controversy erupted alongside the work's release. Criticism spread after it was revealed that Ha Young's great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, had collaborated with Japan during the colonial era, a fact Ha Young had proudly mentioned in past broadcasts and interviews while working on "This Is a Ridiculous Love."

Ha Young eventually issued a direct apology. He stated, "Until now, I only knew about my great-grandfather's life through fragmented stories passed down by my family. Regrettably, I spoke about him as if he were a family pride in various settings while remaining ignorant of these facts."

He continued, "Through this incident, I personally researched relevant materials and learned of my great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities. I believe that the fact I was unaware does not justify ignoring or trivializing this history. I deeply accept this fault and sincerely apologize as a descendant." He bowed his head in apology.

However, the fallout extended to the actors involved in the work. Originally, Jung Hae-in and Ha Young were scheduled to meet reporters at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on the 14th for an interview about the series. But as the controversy spread, Ha Young canceled his interview schedule first, and Jung Hae-in also canceled his planned interview.

This meant even the opportunity for actors to directly explain characters, endings, and filming processes after completing a work—and to extend its lingering impact—was lost. Moreover, this controversy adds bitterness as it is an external variable unrelated to Jung Hae-in's acting or the work's completion.

Although Jung Hae-in fulfilled his role in his first return after two years since "Mom's Friend's Son," he was not given sufficient time for his acting and the work's achievements to be properly evaluated. The bitter shadow left by Ha Young's controversy on the series is unlikely to fade easily.

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*This content was translated by AI.