Writer So Jae-won. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse) provided]
Writer So Jae-won. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse) provided]

Writer So Jae-won, who has publicly criticized the controversy surrounding actor Ha Young's great-grandfather's alleged pro-Japanese collaboration, said he will actively cast descendants of independence fighters in his future works.

So wrote on his SNS on Friday that descendants of independence fighters "will without exception appear" in his future projects. "Shouldn't their descendants at least be able to say they benefited from their ancestors? I am in a position where I can certainly do this much," he wrote, adding, "Long live Korean independence."

So also said that veteran actor Choi Bool-am's father was independence fighter Choi Cheol. "True to his distinguished lineage, Choi Bool-am has long been with us as the 'nation's father' of the home screen," he said.

He said he was honored that Choi's final drama series appearance was in one of his works. "It was the one production where I personally got involved in casting and brought him on board myself," So said. "For me as well, the drama he appeared in became his last."

So said that until now he had not been involved in casting when his original works were adapted into films or drama series, but that the so-called "Ha Young incident" had changed his thinking.

"Going forward, I intend to get a little more involved in casting. Through this episode, I came to realize that descendants of great families are actively working as actors," he said. "If the country and society cannot make the descendants of independence fighters shine, then at least my humble writing should do so."

He said he wanted to lead the way, "pen in hand," toward "the entirely normal change where fighting for independence means three generations will prosper and be respected." He added that the respect owed to descendants of independence fighters "must be clearly distinguished from that given to descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators."

So also made clear he intends to take an active role in the production process of his works.

"To protect my pen, and to awaken those who have grown accustomed to a blurred sense of history, I will from now on be actively involved in my works and will stop pretending to be humble," he said. He added that he had come to realize this was "the only way I, as a citizen of the Republic of Korea, can repay the debt I owe to history and to the independence fighters."

Earlier, after Ha Young mentioned coming from a "family of doctors for four generations," So had publicly criticized her great-grandfather, physician Ahn Sang-ho, over alleged pro-Japanese activities. "Has the world now become one where even ancestors with pro-Japanese records are something to brag about? In all my years, I never thought I'd see someone boasting about a pro-Japanese ancestor," he wrote.


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com