Actor Ha-young Faces Pro-Japanese Descendant Controversy After Bragging About "4-Generation Doctor Family"

Actor Ha-young, who previously revealed on a broadcast that she comes from a "4-generation doctor family," has become embroiled in a controversy surrounding allegations of her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities.

Ha-young recently appeared on an entertainment program and drew attention by revealing her family's four-generation lineage of doctors, stating, "My great-grandfather learned medicine in Japan, became the first Western-style doctor to open a practice in Korea, and even treated Emperor Gojong."

However, immediately after the broadcast, it was revealed that her great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho, the first Korean to obtain a Japanese medical license during the Japanese colonial period, sparking fierce suspicions surrounding his past activities.

According to a 1918 article in the Maeil Shinbo, a Japanese colonial organ, an interview was highlighted in which he—introduced as having married a Japanese woman and belonging to a "completely Japanized doctor's family"—emphasized his Japanese lifestyle, saying, "I am just like a Japanese person. I don't wear a single set of Joseon clothes, nor can I eat spicy food."

In addition, suspicions involving him in the poisoning rumors surrounding the death of Emperor Gojong in 1919, as well as the fact that his name was listed as a council member of the Daejeong Chinmokhoe, a pro-Japanese organization that cooperated with Japanese colonial rule, were additionally confirmed.

As the controversy spread, her agency initially strongly denied the claims, calling them "groundless."

However, as actual records continued to emerge, the agency eventually reversed its position and issued an official apology, stating, "We caused confusion by responding hastily without sufficient verification."

The agency added, "The actor herself is carrying a very heavy heart over the unintended controversy."

While some view that her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities cannot be definitively concluded because he is not listed in the Biographical Dictionary of Japanese Collaborators compiled by the Center for Historical Truth and Justice, critics point out that the agency's hasty denial and reversal of stance only added fuel to the controversy.

(Reported by Kang Sun-ae | Video by Jung Yong-hee | Graphics by Lee Jung-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.