"Excessive criticism toward Ha-young": Yoon Il-sang sparks debate with candid remarks..Video made private [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Composer Yoon Il-sang expressed his stance on the controversy surrounding the pro-Japanese activities of Ha-young's great-great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, but deleted the related video after a debate erupted.

A video titled "Yoon Il-sang's Take on the Controversy over Actor Ha-young's Great-Great-Grandfather's Pro-Japanese Activities," which was posted on Yoon Il-sang's YouTube channel 'Producer Yoon Il-sang,' had disappeared from the channel as of the 31st.

Earlier, on the 26th, through that video, Yoon Il-sang mentioned the controversy surrounding Ha-young's great-great-grandfather, stating, "I think Ha-young was unaware," while also saying, "Ahn Sang-ho's pro-Japanese activities were beyond imagination. The extent was extremely excessive."

He added, "Those who committed (pro-Japanese) acts should naturally be criticized. Didn't the Syngman Rhee administration fail to properly punish those with pro-Japanese records? If possible, I support punishing those involved in pro-Japanese history."

He further stated, "If Ha-young was unaware of the detailed history of her family, one could say 'not knowing itself is a problem,' but I think it's excessive to criticize Ha-young herself to this extent. While ignorance can be criticized, I believe she should not be condemned as if she committed the act."

He then emphasized, "We must strive more to do right by independence activists and their descendants," adding, "I think we should focus more on rewarding gratitude than lending strength to criticism."

After Yoon Il-sang's video was released, a fierce debate ensued online. Some expressed the opinion that "excessive criticism akin to guilt by association must be guarded against," while others criticized that "a third party adding their opinion to a historical issue and an ongoing problem could instead spread controversy." As the impact grew, Yoon Il-sang seemingly recognized this and took measures to make the video private or delete it.

Meanwhile, Ha-young recently emphasized in various broadcast programs and YouTube content that her family is "a medical family for four generations," stating, "My great-great-grandfather (Ahn Sang-ho) was one of the first to open a Western medicine Jeon Mun (Rep.) in Hanyang. After studying medicine in Japan, he opened the first Yang (Rep.) in Hanyang and treated Ko Jong (황제)."

However, Ha-young's great-great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho graduated from Tokyo Zaisei Medical School in Japan in 1902 and was the first Korean to obtain a Japanese medical license. He is also a figure suspected of pro-Japanese activities during the Japanese colonial period. The Institute for Joint Research on Colonial History stated regarding Ahn Sang-ho, "It is an undeniable fact that behind his brilliant resume lie the following pro-Japanese and collaborative acts with Japan."

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*This content was translated by AI.