Composer Yun Il-sang (left) and actor Ha-young. [Yonhap]
Composer Yun Il-sang (left) and actor Ha-young. [Yonhap]

Composer Yun Il-sang has deleted a YouTube video in which he argued that while the pro-Japanese collaboration of actor Ha-young's great-grandfather deserves condemnation, the criticism directed at Ha-young herself has gone too far — a position that drew sharp backlash online.

The video, titled "Il-sang's solo take on the controversy over actor Ha-young's great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities," was posted on the YouTube channel "Produsseol Yun Il-sang" and was confirmed as either unlisted or deleted as of Monday.

In the video, Yun addressed the controversy surrounding Ha-young's great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, saying Ha-young had most likely been unaware of the details of her family's history. "It may be fair to point out that she was unaware of that history, but directing such a high level of harsh criticism at the individual actor feels excessive," he said.

Yun also expressed caution about extending blame to descendants over wealth accumulated through pro-Japanese collaboration.

"How many people do you think there are like that? They say that in some villages, if you didn't take a Japanese name, everyone was killed. Does that make all those people bad? Should a descendant be called a slave just because their ancestor was one?" he said.

Yun said a distinction must be drawn between holding collaborators accountable for their actions and criticizing the descendants who are alive today.

"It's certain that those who collaborated with Japan were bad people and enemies of our people. But if a person living today — though it is their ancestor's doing — feels ashamed and donates to those who fought for independence, or takes other positive actions, there is room for change. If we attack them like this, we shut off any possibility of improvement. This is not the way to go," he said.

The video drew divided reactions online. Some users agreed with the intent to guard against excessive guilt-by-association criticism, while others argued that a third party had waded into a sensitive issue and was reigniting the controversy.

Meanwhile, Ha-young had appeared on the KBS 2TV variety program "Oktapbang-ui Munje-a" on Aug. 7, where she revealed that her family had produced doctors across four generations — her great-grandfather, grandfather, father and older sister. "My great-grandfather opened the first Western-style medical clinic in Hanyang and also treated Emperor Gojong," she said.

After those remarks, it emerged that her great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho (1872–1927), a physician who practiced during the Japanese colonial period, and the pro-Japanese collaboration controversy erupted.

It was subsequently revealed that Ahn had been listed as a council member of the Daejeong Chinmok-hoe, a pro-Japanese organization formed in Seoul in 1916. The group included businesspeople, government officials, journalists, educators, lawyers and medical professionals, and counted Yi Wan-yong — one of the five ministers who signed the Eulsa Treaty — as a central figure.

Ha-young ultimately posted a handwritten apology, saying she had "brought up stories about my great-grandfather as a point of family pride on various occasions, in a state of ignorance," and expressed remorse on behalf of his descendants.


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com