Actress Ha-young's Agency Apologizes After Confirming Pro-Japanese Records of Great-Grandfather

Actor Ha-young, who drew attention after revealing on a broadcast that she comes from a four-generation family of doctors, reversed her initial stance of "baseless" within a day and issued an apology following controversies over her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities.

On August 11, Ha-young's agency, Bisters Entertainment, announced through an official statement that they confirmed records showing her great-grandfather, the late Ahn Sang-ho, was listed as a council member of the Daejeong Chinmokhoe, a pro-Japanese organization, back in 1916.

Earlier, appearing on the KBS 2TV variety show "Problem Child in House" broadcast on August 7, Ha-young revealed her family's four-generation medical background, stating, "I heard my great-grandfather was the first doctor to study Western medicine in Japan and open a practice in Korea. My grandfather, father, and older sister are also doctors."

Although Ha-young did not explicitly mention her great-grandfather's name on the show, it became known online that he was Ahn Sang-ho, a doctor who was active during the Japanese colonial period, sparking controversy over his actions.

The Daejeong Chinmokhoe, in which Ahn was active, was an organization composed of businessmen, bureaucrats, journalists, educators, legal professionals, and medical personnel in Gyeongseong, established in 1916.

According to a 2007 paper titled "Daejeong Chinmokhoe and the Naeseon Yunghwa Movement" by Chang Shin, a senior researcher at the Institute for Research in Collaborationism, Ahn Sang-ho was listed as one of the 21 council members in the leadership lineup elected in November 1916.

The paper noted that the Daejeong Chinmokhoe was defined as "a Naeseon Yunghwa (Japan-Korea assimilation) organization aimed at endorsing the Governor-General's politics and promoting the assimilation of the Japanese and Korean peoples."

The agency stated, "We have realized how cautious verification is necessary when conveying historical facts to the public, and Ha-young herself is deeply reflecting on the matter with a heavy heart over the unintended controversy."

Meanwhile, Ahn, Ha-young's great-grandfather, was the first person in Korea to obtain a Japanese medical license and served as an outside attending physician for Emperors Gojong and Sunjong. It was understood that he is not listed in the "Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators" published by the Center for Research and Information on Japanese Imperialism in Korea.

(Photo: Provided by Netflix, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.