[Sportschosun Kim Joon-seok] Actress Ha Young acknowledged and personally apologized for her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities, but the backlash is continuing.
After reruns were suspended and interview appearances were canceled, even the web variety show segment she had already finished filming will not be released.
According to a report by Ten Asia on the 13th, the episode of Ha Young's appearance on "MJYTV," originally scheduled for release on the 19th, has been officially canceled and will not be uploaded.
Ha Young had already completed filming the web variety show to promote her latest Netflix series, "Our Sticky Love," in which she plays the lead role. However, as controversy over her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities spread, the content featuring Ha Young was ultimately shelved.
The fallout appears to be continuing, especially as the planned content was pulled even after Ha Young posted a direct apology.
The controversy resurfaced after it was brought back into focus that Ha Young had described her family on television and elsewhere as a "fourth-generation family of doctors."
The issue spread further after records confirmed that her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, had served as a council member of the Daejeong Friendship Association, a pro-Japanese group during the Japanese colonial period.
Her agency initially denied the allegations, calling them "groundless." But after verifying the records, it changed its position, acknowledged Ahn Sang-ho's involvement with the Daejeong Friendship Association, and apologized for making a hasty statement without sufficient confirmation.
Ha Young also bowed her head in a direct apology on her social networking service account on the 12th.
She said, "I only knew a fragment of my great-grandfather's life through stories passed down by my family," and added, "Shamefully, I spoke about him in various settings as if it were something to be proud of, despite being so ignorant."
She continued, "I have come to learn about my great-grandfather's pro-Japanese actions," and said, "I reflect on the fact that I carelessly brought up my family history without properly understanding our country's painful history during the Japanese colonial period."
Still, the fallout surrounding Ha Young is continuing in the broadcasting industry.
The rerun service for the episode of KBS2's "Problem Child in House," which featured Ha Young alongside Jung Hae-in, was suspended after the controversy.
In addition to the cancellation of Ha Young's interview schedule tied to the release of the project, the web variety show she had already filmed and even scheduled for release will also not meet viewers.
By contrast, Jung Hae-in, who appeared in the same project, is continuing with his scheduled promotional activities.
Jung Hae-in has carried out promotional appearances for the project, including a joint appearance on "Problem Child in House" as well as solo guest spots on "Salon Drip" and "You in Radio."
Although Ha Young personally apologized over the controversy surrounding her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities, attention is now turning to her future activities as reruns have been suspended, interviews canceled, and even already filmed content pulled from release.
narusi@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
