South Korean actress Ha Young has apologized after her great-grandfather’s alleged ties to a pro-Japanese organization drew public criticism.
Her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, was a physician who studied in Japan and later practiced medicine in Korea, where he treated members of the Korean imperial family.
Criticism focused on his membership in the Daejeong Business Friendship Association, which South Korea’s Encyclopedia of Korean Culture identifies as a pro-Japanese group.
Ha Young said she initially knew only family stories about him and had spoken of him with pride without fully understanding his activities during Japan’s colonial rule.
She apologized on Instagram on Aug. 12, saying she had researched her family history and now recognized the need to confront its painful historical context.
Source: PhilNews24 | August 14, 2026
