Ha Young controversy explained: Why Our Sticky Love star is facing backlash over family history

South Korean actress Ha Young has found herself at the centre of a growing controversy just as her career is gaining momentum. The actress recently seen in show Our Sticky Love alongside Jung Hae In is facing backlash over her family's medical background on television, with attention soon turning to historical records concerning her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, and his alleged links to pro-Japanese activities during Japan's colonial rule of Korea.

Controversy involving Ha Young over her great-grandfather's link to pro-Japanese activities

On August 7, Ha Young appeared on the KBS2 show Problem Child in House, where se shared that she came from a four-generation medical family and mentioned her great-grandfather, who studied in Japan and opened an early Western medicine clinic. Netizens identified her great-grandfather as Dr. Ahn Sang-ho and unearthed records showing he was a council member of the pro-Japanese Daejeong Friendship Association (Daejeong Chinmokhoe) starting in 1916.

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The revelation struck a raw nerve with the South Korean public, coming right ahead of National Liberation Day on August 15 (Gwangbokjeol), which commemorates the end of Japanese colonial rule. The actress's agency, Bistus Entertainment, initially dismissed the online accusations as groundless. However, the agency backtracked from their statement the next day and admitted historical records verified that her great-grandfather's council membership in the pro-Japanese organisation and apologised for the hasty initial response.

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Ha Young published a handwritten apology on social media, expressing deep remorse for not being fully aware of her family's past. Additional backlash occurred when her father's subsequent interview defence used phrasing regarding the Japan-Korea Annexation that critics deemed historically insensitive.

With the latest development, Ha Young's scheduled press round-table interviews for her Netflix romantic comedy series Our Sticky Love (co-starring Jung Hae In) were cancelled. Replays of her Problem Child in House episode were suspended, and promotional videos and ads featuring her were made private or taken down by brands like Samsung Electronics.

Netizens' reaction to Ha Young's recent statement about her great-grandfather

Soon after her interview, netizens took to social media to express their views, and one user wrote, "This is the interview that started the whole Ha young controversy; the interviewer really set her up and she somehow fell for it just busy asking bunch of unnecessary questions."

Another user wrote, "I really dislike how some netizens try to ruin celebrities' lives just as they become successful. The actress Ha Young has been working hard in the industry for a long time with zero scandals. Yet, right after she finally landed her first main role, people started attacking her. Just because her great grandfather’s name was found in a pro-Japanese group from the colonial era, people are blaming her. She wasn't even alive back then! It makes no sense to punish her for things that happened over a century ago."

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"I just know that Ha Young is the first in her bloodline to be cursing her great-grandfather for ruining her career and that man is probably rolling in his grave right now", wrote the third user.

"So yall wanted Ha Young to apologize but when she did “you are 33 years old how do you not know” “we don’t accept your apology” “you and your family need to bow down” “you need to retire” like OMG she wrote a handwritten apology. What more do yall want!!!! #hayoung", wrote another social media user.

All about Ha Young

South Korean actress Ha Young is best known for her roles in k-dramas including The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and the most recent show, Our Sticky Love. Born in 1993, Ha Young earned a degree in Western Painting from Ewha Woman's University. She began her career in the showbiz industry as a commercial model and made her debut as an actress in the 2019 TV series Doctor Prisoner.

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She gained broader prominence for her appearance in dramas including Mouse, Doona! and more.