Meet the stars with independence fighters in their family trees

Singer Chungha / Courtesy of MNH Entertainment

Ahead of the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule on Saturday, pro-Japanese activities by actor Ha Young's great-grandfather have stirred controversy. As National Liberation Day approaches, here are some K-pop and entertainment stars who are descendants of Korean independence fighters.

Chungha

Singer Chungha's maternal grandfather, Kim Yong-geun, was an independence and pro-democracy activist. He received the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1990 and was recognized as a person of distinguished service to the May 18 Democratization Movement in 2002.

During Japan's colonial rule, Kim refused to worship at Shinto shrines, a religious practice imposed on Koreans. He also formed an assassination squad targeting Korea's Japanese governor-general, though the plot didn't succeed.

During the May 18 Gwangju Uprising, Kim was imprisoned for hiding his students who were fleeing martial law troops.

The pro-democracy movement erupted in the southwestern city of Gwangju on May 18, 1980, when citizens stood up against the nationwide extension of martial law by the military junta led by Chun Doo-hwan, who would become president later that year. The crackdown left hundreds dead or missing, and it has since been recognized as a pivotal moment in Korea's long road to democratization.

Singer Yi Chen / Captured from Overseas Koreans Agency YouTube

Yi Chen

Yi Chen, a Chinese member of idol group Modyssey, is a great-great-grandson of Ahn Myung-geun, a cousin of independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun. After competing in five survival shows, he debuted last year through Mnet Plus survival show "Planet C: Home Race."

Ahn Jung-geun assassinated Ito Hirobumi, Japan's first prime minister and resident-general of Korea, in 1909, an act that directly precipitated Japan's full annexation of the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty the following year.

Ahn Myung-geun, who was influenced by his cousin in his youth and devoted himself to the independence movement, worked to promote education as a means of saving the nation. He was sentenced to life in prison by Japanese authorities in 1911 and was released 15 years later. The Korean government awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1962.

Actor Kim Ji-Seok / Captured from Kim's YouTube

Kim Ji-Seok

Actor Kim Ji-Seok's grandfather was Kim Sung-il, who joined an independence movement group in 1920 and and raised funds for the armed struggle. He was caught by Japanese police and sentenced to three years in prison in 1921. He received the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 2015.

On his YouTube channel, Kim Ji-Seok appeared with his grandmother to share stories about Kim Sung-il. When he asked, “What kind of work did grandfather do during the independence movement?” His grandmother replied, “He delivered information from Korea to the independence army and raised independence funds from wealthy individuals.”