Why did Ha Young apologize over her great-grandfather’s colonial-era past?

She apologized after allegations surfaced that her great-grandfather took part in pro-Japanese activities during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea. She said she was ashamed of having described him as a source of family pride and accepted heavy responsibility as his descendant.

What did Ha Young’s agency say about the allegations against her great-grandfather?

The agency first called the allegations groundless, then said secondary verification confirmed that Ahn Sang-ho’s name appeared in historic records as a member of the Daejeong Friendship Association in 1916. It later apologized for dismissing the claims without a thorough investigation.

What changes followed the controversy around Ha Young’s family history?

The episode where she discussed her family background was switched to private, and advertising videos featuring her for companies including Samsung Electronics were also made private. She also said she would deeply reflect on her family’s history and act in respect of people who worked for liberation.

Ha Young says 'sincerely sorry' over great-grandfather's pro-Japanese past

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Summary

Actor Ha Young apologized over allegations that her great-grandfather had pro-Japanese activities during Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea. In a handwritten letter posted on social media, she said she was sincerely sorry as his descendant and took heavy responsibility for having spoken of him as family pride. The controversy grew after her comments on KBS’s Problem Child in House prompted scrutiny, and her agency later confirmed historic records with his name.

Key Facts

Ha Young’s agency said historic records show her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, appeared on the 1916 counselor roster of the Daejeong Friendship Association.
The agency had first dismissed the allegations as groundless before apologizing on Tuesday for causing concerns.
The controversy erupted after Ha Young spoke on KBS talk show Problem Child in House about her family’s medical background and her great-grandfather’s studies in Japan.
Following the controversy, the episode and advertising videos featuring Ha Young for companies including Samsung Electronics were switched to private.
Ha Young said she would reflect on her family’s history and devote herself to people who worked for the country’s liberation.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 12, 2026 3:51 pm KST

Actor Ha Young poses during a fashion brand event held in Seoul, June 29. Newsis

Actor Ha Young apologized Wednesday over allegations surrounding her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea, saying she was "sincerely sorry" as his descendant.

The actor issued the apology in a handwritten letter posted on her social media account, a day after her agency acknowledged that her great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho (1872-1927) was a member of an organization that allegedly took part in pro-Japanese activities.

"I had only partially known about my great-grandfather's life through stories told by my family," she said. "I am ashamed, that despite my ignorance, I had spoken on many occasions about him as a source of family pride."

"I believe the fact that I had not known about it cannot be an excuse for disregarding or lightly considering that history. I take that mistake heavily and as a descendant, I am sincerely sorry," the actor said.

While appearing on an episode of the KBS talk show "Problem Child in House" last week, Ha Young mentioned how her great-grandfather studied Western medicine in Japan as she explained that medical practice spans across four generations in her family.

The remarks prompted public scrutiny of Ahn's activities during the colonial period. The controversy erupted just days before Liberation Day, which is marked on Aug. 15.

Ha's agency initially dismissed allegations concerning her great-grandfather's alleged pro-Japanese ties as "groundless."

But on Tuesday, it apologized on behalf of the actor for causing concerns and confirmed the existence of historic records that carry his name as a member of the organization in 1916.

Going forward, Ha Young vowed to deeply reflect on her family's history and take actions to respect and devote herself to people who have striven for the country's liberation.

Following the controversy, the episode where she mentioned her family's past, as well as advertising videos of the actor promoting products for companies, including Samsung Electronics, were switched to private.

Ha Young made her debut with "Doctor Prisoner" (2019) and has since appeared in hit Netflix shows, such as "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call" (2025), "Boyfriend on Demand" (2026) and "Teach You a Lesson" (2026).

She also appeared in the rom-com series "Our Sticky Love," released last week.

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