Actor Ha Young apologizes over ancestral history

Actress Ha Young, whose real name is Ahn Ha-young, has issued a public apology following criticism over her great-grandfather's role during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea. Ahn Ha-young's agency, Bistus Entertainment, released a statement on her behalf, expressing profound regret for her initial denials and her comments on her family's medical lineage on air.

In a clarification to their earlier claim that the accusations were baseless, the agency confirmed via secondary verification that her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, is listed on the 1916 counselor roster of the Daejeong Friendship Association, a pro-Japanese group during the colonial period. Ha Young confessed to feeling "a heavy heart" for inadvertently sparking controversy, and sincerely apologized for the confusion caused by dismissing the allegations without a proper investigation.

The controversy began when Ha Young appeared on a KBS talk show on August 7, where she proudly discussed her family's medical history. In her remarks, she stated that her great-grandfather had studied Western medicine in Japan and established a clinic in Korea.