Actor Ha-young's agency reverses 'groundless' denial, apologizes over pro-Japanese collaboration allegations against great-grandfather

The agency representing actor Ha-young reversed course and apologized Tuesday, just one day after dismissing allegations that her great-grandfather, An Sang-ho, had collaborated with Japanese colonial authorities.

Bisters Entertainment issued an official statement Tuesday confirming the allegations. "As a result of additional checks, we have confirmed that a record does exist showing that great-grandfather An Sang-ho's name appeared on the list of council members of the Daejong Chinmok-hoe in 1916," the agency said.

"We sincerely apologize for the confusion caused by our hasty response of 'groundless' without sufficient verification," the agency said.

The Daejong Chinmok-hoe was a prominent pro-Japanese organization formed in November 1916, in the early years of Japan's colonial rule of Korea.

Bisters Entertainment said Ha-young had mentioned her family's four-generation medical legacy while responding to a question during a recent television appearance, and that the unintended controversy had left the actor feeling deeply troubled.

"Through this incident, we have come to deeply understand how carefully historical facts and an individual's background must be verified before being conveyed to the public," the agency added. "Ha-young herself takes to heart the concern this has caused, and will approach all matters with greater care and humility going forward."

The controversy began after Ha-young spoke about her family background on television and in interviews. The actor, whose legal name is An Ha-young, mentioned on several entertainment programs — including KBS 2TV's "Oktapbang-ui Munje-a," a TV quiz show — that her family had produced doctors across four generations.

"As far as I remember, my great-grandfather was one of the first people to open a Western medicine clinic in Hanyang at the time," Ha-young said on the program. "After studying medicine in Japan, he opened the first Western medicine clinic in Hanyang and treated Emperor Gojong."

After the broadcast, online users identified the figure as An Sang-ho, a physician active during the Japanese colonial period, prompting renewed scrutiny of his past.

On Monday, the agency acknowledged that Ha-young's great-grandfather was indeed An Sang-ho but maintained that the allegations were "groundless and contain inaccuracies." It reversed that position a day later after the council membership record was confirmed during further verification.

Ha-young recently starred as lead character Go Eun-sae in "Ireon Yeotgateun Sarang," a romantic drama now streaming on Netflix.

dbsdn1110@heraldcorp.com