Yerin Ha, the first Korean-heritage lead of the "Bridgerton" series, offered a thoughtful response to racism concerns raised during the show’s promotion.
At a "Bridgerton" Season 4 press conference held in Myeong-dong, Seoul, on the 4th, Ha said, “I’ve seen those comments too. But on site, I never felt anything was racist,” denying the allegations.
She added, “Sometimes small details might have been overlooked. I don’t think anyone did it intentionally or consciously. Looking back, though, I understand why people reacted that way. Maybe this can be a chance for us to show grace when those details get missed.”
Ha continued, “There are things I’ve had to think through and experience while doing this job. I just hope we can use situations like this to learn, like, ‘Oh, that exists.’ I don’t want it to turn into excessive criticism or hate.”
The discussion flared during "Bridgerton" 4’s Spain promotion featuring Yerin Ha, Luke Thompson, and Hannah Dodd. The trio visited Spain for photoshoots and events tied to the series.
In released photos, fans questioned why Ha, the lead, stood off to the side instead of center. A separate event clip showed supporting actor Hannah Dodd seated next to Luke Thompson at center stage, further fueling debate. Spanish outlet ABC also drew backlash for misspelling Ha’s name as “Yern Ha.” In another image, a watermark partially covered Ha’s face.
Even so, Ha rejected the notion that these incidents were racially motivated. She said they could appear misleading, but she personally didn’t feel targeted. She also expressed concern about snap judgments turning into criticism or hate, handling the sensitive question with composure.
Yerin Ha is a Korean Australian who grew up between Sydney and Seoul. Born in Sydney, she graduated from an arts high school in Seoul and completed college in Australia. She’s fluent in both English and Korean and has embraced the cultures of both countries.
Pursuing acting in Hollywood, she appeared in "Halo" Seasons 1 and 2 and "Dune: Prophecy," drawing industry attention. Seven years after her debut, she took a global spotlight as Sophie, the female lead in "Bridgerton" Season 4. In Korea, she also made headlines as the granddaughter of actor Son Sook.
"Bridgerton" Season 4 follows free-spirited Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), who wavers between the mysterious “Lady in the Silver Dress” he meets at a masquerade and real-life housemaid Sophie (Yerin Ha), crossing lines of love, identity, and class. Released in two parts, Season 4 topped Netflix’s Global Top 10 and also hit No. 1 on Korea’s Top 10 series chart.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)