South Korean actor Ha-young returned to filming on August 20, after a week-long break prompted by public backlash over her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, and his historical record on a 1916 pro-Japanese council list. The controversy has disrupted multiple broadcasting and streaming projects.
The controversy surrounding actor Ha-young escalated from a casual family disclosure on television into a legislative debate and widespread entertainment industry fallout. What began as an on-air remark about her lineage quickly drew public scrutiny toward her ancestor’s historical affiliations during the Japanese colonial period.
Television Broadcasts and Streaming Projects Face Immediate Fallout
The fallout began after a segment on a web variety show where Ha-young discussed her family background, stating that she comes from a four-generation medical family. She had previously mentioned her great-grandfather on KBS2’s Problem Child in House
, noting that he was the first person to open a Western medicine practice in Hanyang and had treated Emperor Gojong of Korea.
Online users subsequently identified her great-grandfather as Ahn Sang-ho and discovered records showing his name on the 1916 Daejeong Friendship Association council members list. The association was a group that led Japan’s policy of Japan-Korea harmony.
The controversy severely impacted her professional schedule. Netflix decided not to air a scheduled follow-up episode of the web variety show Hongbo-hareo On Geon Matneunde
featuring Ha-young and Jung Hae-in. Additionally, scheduled press interviews for Netflix series were canceled, and brands that used her as an advertising model set their promotional videos to private.
Agency Apology, Production Adjustments, and Public Reaction
Following the initial backlash, Ha-young’s agency initially denied the allegations before issuing a correction. The agency bowed its head and apologized, stating that it had hastily responded without sufficient verification.
Ha-young also released a handwritten apology on August 12. She stated that she had known only fragments of her great-grandfather’s life through family stories before looking into the records herself.
“Until now, I only knew fragments of my great-grandfather’s life through stories passed down in my family. I reflect on the fact that I carelessly mentioned my family history without properly understanding the history of our country, which went through the painful Japanese colonial period.”
Ha-young, Actor
Production on the SBS drama “Odds Are”—adapted from a TV Asahi series and starring Lee Je-hoon alongside Ha-young as rookie attorney Yeo Sim-hee—was temporarily halted after the actor broke down in tears on set. The production team granted her a week-long break to rest at home. She returned to the set on Thursday to film remaining scenes, having completed nearly 90 percent of her shooting for the series ahead of a planned September wrap.
Meanwhile, SBS maintained a cautious stance regarding its upcoming project, stating that a significant portion of filming was already completed and that producers were closely monitoring developments.
Legislative Moves and Expert Perspectives on Descendant Accountability
The controversy extended beyond the entertainment sector into national politics. During a plenary session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly on August 21, Rep. Park Eun-jung of the Rebuilding Korea Party raised the possibility of recovering pro-Japanese assets, citing reports that Ahn Sang-ho owned about 2,700 pyeong, or roughly 8,900 square meters, of land in Gunpo, Gyeonggi Province, during the colonial era.
Vice Justice Minister Lee Jin-su responded that preparations are underway to launch an investigation committee under the Pro-Japanese Asset Reversion Act, which is set to take effect on Dec. 3. The panel will hold the authority to designate individuals as pro-Japanese collaborators and determine their property as state-owned assets, subject to specific exceptions.
Japanese media and academic commentators also examined the public reaction. Kim Kyung-ju, a professor at Tokai University in Japan, noted in an interview covered by Abema Times that while South Korean favorable views of Japan reached 54.3 percent—the highest level since 2013—historical grievances easily resurface.
Kim emphasized that the term pro-Japanese collaborator
carries a specific historical weight in South Korea referring to active cooperation with colonial rule, and argued that descendants should not automatically bear personal responsibility for an ancestor’s past actions. However, he noted that public criticism intensified because the family background was introduced proudly on a broadcast against the backdrop of accumulated wealth concerns.
As state authorities prepare to launch investigative panels under upcoming legislation, questions remain over whether historical land holdings linked to the family will face formal state confiscation proceedings.
