[Sportschosun Jo Min-jung] As controversy continues over the pro-Japanese activities of actress Ha Young’s great-grandfather, history lecturer Bae Ki-sung said he was the first to raise the related allegations. He also strongly criticized Ha Young’s belated apology, in which she said she had not fully known her family history, calling it "not something to excuse as being young."
Bae appeared on the YouTube channel "Choi Wook’s Maebul Show," released on the 12th, and brought up the controversy surrounding Ha Young’s great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho.
Bae explained that he was reminded of Ahn after hearing Ha Young say on KBS2's "Problem Child in House" on the 7th that her family had been a "family of doctors for four generations." He also said he was the first person to suggest on an online community that Ha Young’s great-grandfather could be Ahn Sang-ho. Bae said he had discussed Ahn’s activities in his lectures and cited Ahn’s conduct after studying in Japan, as well as records introduced in Japanese media at the time.
He also mentioned Ahn Sang-ho’s relationship with Emperor Gojong of Korea and Prince Imperial Ui. In particular, he raised the possibility of a link between the poisoning of Emperor Gojong and Ahn, but took a cautious stance, saying no direct connection had been confirmed.
Bae’s criticism was also directed at Ha Young. Referring to her age of 33, he said, "She is someone who knows what she needs to know. This is not because she is young. That is her own responsibility." He then argued that records related to Ahn Sang-ho can also be found online and pointed out that Ha Young had introduced her family on television as a "family of doctors for four generations." Bae strongly criticized her, saying, "If you know the truth, you cannot say something like that. You absolutely cannot," and added, "That is why people say family-table education is the best education."
On the 7th, Ha Young revealed on "Problem Child in House" that her great-grandfather studied medicine in Japan, opened a Western-style clinic in Hanyang, and treated Emperor Gojong of Korea. After the broadcast, online claims emerged that her great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho, a doctor during the Japanese colonial period, and the controversy spread as his past activities were brought back into focus.
Ha Young's side initially denied the allegations as "groundless," but later corrected its position after further verification. It apologized for causing confusion by responding too hastily without sufficient confirmation.
Ha Young also released a handwritten apology on the 12th. She said she had only a fragmented understanding of her great-grandfather's life based on stories passed down by her family, and that she learned of his pro-Japanese activities while directly reviewing related materials. She added that she regretted speaking about her family as a source of pride in various settings without fully understanding the facts, and apologized, saying, "I will be more careful in how I approach history in the future."
However, the controversy has continued even after Ha Young's apology. As Bae Ki-sung publicly criticized her explanation, the fallout over the "family of doctors for four generations" remark appears to be growing once again.
Jo Min-jung mj.cho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
