Rising K-Drama Actress’ Alleged Pro-Japanese Family History Revealed

Actress Ha Young has found herself at the center of unexpected controversy after her agency confirmed the identity of her great-grandfather, following her recent revelation that she comes from a family of doctors spanning four generations.

On August 10, Ha Young’s agency confirmed that her great-grandfather was indeed Ahn Sang Ho, a physician who studied Western medicine in Japan and reportedly treated Emperor Gojong. The discussion began following Ha Young’s appearance on KBS2’s Problem Child in House on August 7.

While discussing her impressive family background, the actress revealed that her father and older sister are doctors, while her mother previously worked as a nurse. She also spoke proudly about her great-grandfather’s medical career.

“From what I remember, I was told that my great-grandfather was one of the first people to open a clinic specializing in Western medicine in Hanyang. After studying medicine in Japan, he opened one of the first Western medical clinics in Hanyang and treated Emperor Gojong.”

Although Ha Young did not name him during the broadcast, netizens subsequently speculated that the relative in question was Ahn Sang Ho. Her agency has now confirmed their relationship.

Ahn reportedly entered a medical school in Tokyo in 1898, passed an examination allowing him to practice medicine in 1902, and later returned to Korea, where he operated a hospital and participated in treating members of the royal family. He was reportedly among the physicians who attended to Gojong when the emperor collapsed in 1919.

However, the renewed attention surrounding Ahn has also led netizens to dig into records concerning his life during the Japanese colonial period, sparking allegations over possible pro-Japanese activities.

Among the material being circulated is a 1918 article from the Japanese colonial government’s newspaper Maeil Sinbo discussing Ahn’s marriage to a Japanese woman and aspects of his household, including reports that he had adopted Japanese-style clothing and eating habits. Another reported that he was registered in a pro-Japanese community as a member.

The records have prompted debate online over whether Ha Young’s celebrated “elite family” history has a more controversial side. Her agency acknowledged the controversy, but cautioned that some information currently circulating online about Ahn is inaccurate. It did not specify which claims it disputes.

Historical accounts of individual statements or lifestyle choices alone also do not necessarily establish that someone engaged in pro-Japanese collaboration, meaning Ahn’s activities would need to be assessed based on broader historical records rather than viral claims alone.

The controversy comes shortly after Ha Young’s prestigious medical family background attracted widespread attention, turning what had initially been a feel-good revelation about the actress’s ancestry into a heated discussion over her great-grandfather’s history.