SBS faces backlash for airing Ha Young's new drama

Korean broadcast network SBS is facing mounting public backlash over its upcoming legal drama "The Long Shot Trial," which stars actor Ha Young amid intense scrutiny over her family's historic ties to the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule.

The series is scheduled to premiere on Feb. 26, 2027, just three days before Korea marks a major national holiday commemorating the 1919 Korean independence demonstrations against Japanese occupation on March 1.

Criticism has intensified due to the sensitive timing, as well as the fact that the show is an adaptation of the Japanese television series "Legal V: Ex-lawyer Shoko Takanashi."

Commenters have expressed anger over Ha's casting as a righteous lawyer ahead of the patriotic holiday, with online posts widely condemning the family's history and questioning the propriety of her role.

"It's so ironic — a family with pro-Japanese royalty roots flexing after stealing Kim Ik-nam’s legacy, whose grandfather worked as a doctor during the human experiments at Sorokdo, and now their kid is playing a righteous lawyer three days before Independence Movement Day? What a joke," an online comment read.

Another commenter wrote, "This country enjoys this freedom thanks to the sacrifices of independence activists, so it is unfair that descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators — not descendants of independence fighters — are living well."

In the drama, which centers on a disbarred former lawyer (Lee Je-hoon), who gathers an eccentric team of rookie attorneys and paralegals to form a scrappy underdog law firm that tackles unwinnable cases against a powerhouse legal rival, Ha plays an exceptionally passionate rookie lawyer who possesses flawless legal knowledge but lacks courtroom experience, recklessly plunging headfirst into cases driven by empathy and a strong sense of justice.

Controversy surrounding the actress stems from online accusations concerning her lineage. Public outrage centers on her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, who actively engaged in pro-Japanese collaboration, and her grandfather, who served as a medical doctor at Sorokdo Island during the colonial era — a location infamous for forced isolation and medical experimentation on leprosy patients.

Further friction erupted when online users revealed that the historical achievements of pioneer physician Kim Ik-nam had been falsely attributed to Ahn. The misrepresentation originated in a 2002 JoongAng Ilbo op-ed written by Ha's father, which claimed Ahn co-founded early medical education and led Korea's first medical association.

Official records show that Kim was Korea's first fully trained modern physician who returned home in 1900 to educate doctors, whereas Ahn refused government orders to return from Japan, was dismissed from his post and subsequently collaborated with colonial authorities.

Industry insiders report that after the controversy over Ha's great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities erupted, the drama's production team showed a cautious stance stating, "We are monitoring the situation," and could not easily decide on Ha Young's departure, with filming currently continuing.

Roughly 90 percent of filming for the series has been completed. SBS has not officially commented on production status or announced changes to its broadcast schedule, leaving questions over whether the network will proceed as planned.