Rising Actress Ha Young’s Agency Confirms Her Great-Grandfather’s Identity Amid Pro-Japanese Controversy

Actress Ha Young’s side has addressed the recently emerged controversy surrounding her great-grandfather. After she drew attention on a broadcast by revealing her family has been “a family of doctors for four generations,” it was confirmed that her great-grandfather was An Sang Ho.

Ha Young’s agency stated on August 10th, in response to a question from Ten Asia asking whether Ha Young’s great-grandfather was indeed An Sang Ho, “Yes, it is An Sang Ho.” However, regarding the controversy surrounding An Sang Ho’s pro-Japanese activities, the agency took a cautious stance, saying that some of what has circulated online differs from fact, without specifying which parts.

Ha Young mentioned her great-grandfather while appearing on KBS2’s “Problem Child in House,” aired on August 7th, to promote the Netflix original “Our Sticky Love.” She said, “As I remember it, I heard my great-grandfather was one of the first people to open a Western medicine clinic in Hanyang [old Seoul] at the time,” adding, “After studying medicine in Japan, he opened the first Western-style clinic in Hanyang and treated Emperor Gojong.”

While her great-grandfather’s real name wasn’t revealed on the broadcast, speculation soon spread online that he might be An Sang Ho. Her agency has now confirmed that this is the case.

An Sang Ho was a figure who studied Western medicine in Japan before working as a doctor in Korea. He is said to have enrolled at Tokyo Jikei Hospital Medical School in 1898 and passed the medical practice exam in 1902. He later returned to Korea, ran a hospital, and took part in treating the royal family. He is known to have treated Emperor Gojong alongside a Japanese doctor when Gojong collapsed in 1919.

Recently, An Sang Ho’s activities during the Japanese colonial period have drawn renewed attention. In 1918, an article introducing An Sang Ho’s home life — including his marriage to a Japanese wife — was published in Maeil Sinbo, a mouthpiece of the Japanese Governor-General’s office. The article reportedly described how he had grown accustomed to Japanese-style clothing and food.

As this record spread online, questions about An Sang Ho’s pro-Japanese activities followed. That said, an individual’s pro-Japanese activities shouldn’t be determined by a single statement or lifestyle detail alone — they should be assessed by comprehensively examining the full record of that person’s activities at the time. Ha Young’s side has likewise stated that some of what’s circulated online differs from fact, without specifying which details.

How An Sang Ho’s past activities should be judged and how his descendant Ha Young should be judged are separate matters. Even if additional records were to confirm that An Sang Ho was pro-Japanese, holding his great-granddaughter responsible for her great-grandfather’s actions would not be appropriate. Since there is no indication that Ha Young has defended or glorified her great-grandfather, a guilt-by-association approach that criticizes her over her ancestor’s actions should be avoided.

Source: Naver