Ha Young says 'sincerely sorry' over great-grandfather's pro-Japanese past

Seoul, August 12 - Actress Ha Young issued a heartfelt apology on Wednesday over allegations linked to her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese actions during Japan's colonial rule of Korea (1910-45). In a handwritten letter posted on her social media, Ha Young expressed her "sincere sorry" as his descendant.

Her agency confirmed the existence of historic records showing her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho (1872-1927), was a member of an organization involved in pro-Japanese activities in 1916. Ha Young acknowledged that despite her limited knowledge of her great-grandfather's life, she had previously portrayed him as a source of family pride.

Ha Young emphasized that ignorance should not excuse disregarding or lightly considering this history. She admitted to taking this mistake "heavily" as a descendant and apologized sincerely. During an appearance on the KBS talk show "Problem Child in House" last week, Ha Young mentioned her great-grandfather's Western medical education in Japan, which sparked public scrutiny of his activities during the colonial period.

The controversy came just days before Liberation Day on August 15. Initially, Ha Young's agency dismissed the allegations as "groundless." However, on Tuesday, the agency apologized for causing concerns and confirmed the records linking her great-grandfather to the organization. Ha Young vowed to deeply reflect on her family's history and take steps to respect and honor those who fought for the country's liberation.

Following the controversy, the episode featuring her family's past and Ha Young's promotional advertisements for companies, including Samsung Electronics, were switched to private. Ha Young made her acting debut in "Doctor Prisoner" (2019) and has since appeared in popular Netflix series such as "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call" (2025), "Boyfriend on Demand" (2026), and "Teach You a Lesson" (2026).