Actor Ha Young Apologizes After Great-Grandfather's Pro-Japanese Ties Surface

Actor Ha Young issued a public apology on Wednesday after it was revealed that her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, was involved in pro-Japanese activities during Japan's colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945. In a handwritten letter posted to social media, Ha Young stated she was sincerely sorry as a descendant and admitted she had previously spoken of him as a source of family pride due to her own ignorance of his history. The controversy began following her appearance on the KBS talk show Problem Child in House, where she discussed her family's four generation history of medical practice and mentioned her great-grandfather studied Western medicine in Japan.

Ha Young's agency, Bistus Entertainment, initially dismissed the allegations as groundless. However, the agency reversed its position on Tuesday, confirming historical records from 1916 that list Ahn Sang-ho as a member of the Daejeong Friendship Association. This organization was led by Min Yeong-gi and included Yi Wan-yong, a known pro-Japanese collaborator. Following the confirmation, the agency apologized for its initial dismissal of the claims.

The fallout has impacted Ha Young's professional commitments. Press interviews for her recent romantic comedy series, Our Sticky Love, were canceled, and several advertising videos for companies including Samsung Electronics were set to private. The timing of the controversy is particularly sensitive as it occurred just days before Liberation Day on August 15.

Reporting on the event differs in focus based on political lean. A center leaning source focuses on the sequence of events and the actor's personal apology. A center-right leaning source frames the event as a broader debate on whether descendants should be held accountable for ancestral actions and examines the specific nature of the great-grandfather's collaboration.