Actress Ahn Ha-young to exit Netflix series 'The Trauma Code' following family controversy

Netflix confirmed on Tuesday that actress Ahn Ha-young will not appear in the next season of the medical drama "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call." The decision follows public backlash regarding her great-grandfather's activities during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Netflix stated that the move was made out of respect for the actor's position.

Ahn, who played nurse Cheon Jang-mi in the first season, faced scrutiny after appearing on the KBS talk show "Problem Child in House." During the episode, she spoke of her family's four generation history of medical practice and mentioned her great-grandfather studying Western medicine in Japan. The remarks occurred shortly before Liberation Day and led to allegations of pro-Japanese activities. One report specifies that her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, served as a council member of the Daejeong Friendship Association, an organization linked to Japan's colonial government.

In a handwritten apology shared on social media on August 12, Ahn stated she had only partially known about her great-grandfather's life and expressed shame for speaking of him as a source of family pride. While center-leaning coverage emphasizes that the controversy intensified after her agency initially dismissed the allegations as groundless, center-right coverage highlights the global success of the series and the specific historical records linking her ancestor to the colonial administration.