{
  "id": 537311,
  "title": "Actor Ha Young apologizes over ancestral history",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/actor-ha-young-apologizes-over-ancestral-history",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-11T06:12:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/shows-dramas/20260811/actor-ha-young-apologizes-over-ancestral-history"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nIn 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.\n\nThe 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.",
  "summary": "Actor Ha Young issued a public apology following mounting controversy over her great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese activities during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule. On Tuesday, her agency, Bistus Entertainment, released a statement on behalf of the actor, whose real name is Ahn Ha-young, expressing deep regret for her hasty initial denial and her previous on-air remarks about her family's…",
  "key_points": [
    "Actress Ha Young issues public apology over great-grandfather's colonial-era role.",
    "Agency confirms great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho listed in 1916 pro-Japanese group roster.",
    "Ha Young expresses regret, apologizes for confusion caused by dismissing allegations."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Actor Ha Young apologizes over ancestral history",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/actor-ha-young-apologizes-over-ancestral-history-538180",
        "published": "2026-08-11T06:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}