Ha Young's Agency: "Her Great-Grandfather Was Doctor Ahn Sangho... Pro-Japanese Allegations Are Groundless"

Mentioned as "the First Doctor to Open a Clinic in Korea" on TV
Controversy Emerges Online over Alleged Pro-Japanese Collaboration

The agency representing actress Ha Young (real name: Ahn Hayeong, age 33) has stated that the suspicions circulating online regarding her great-grandfather's alleged pro-Japanese activities are "groundless."

Actor Ha Young. YouTube video capture.

On August 10, Ha Young’s agency, Visters Entertainment, released a statement saying, “Her great-grandfather was indeed Ahn Sangho (a physician),” but added, “The information currently being circulated online regarding these suspicions is unfounded.”

Previously, on the August 7 broadcast of KBS 2TV’s variety show ‘Problem Child in House,’ Ha Young revealed, “I heard that my great-grandfather was the first doctor in Korea who studied Western medicine in Japan and opened a clinic here. My grandfather also became a doctor, followed by my father and my sister, making us a family of four generations of doctors.” The production team also mentioned in subtitles that Ha Young’s great-grandfather “even treated Emperor Gojong.”

After the broadcast, it became known online that Ha Young’s great-grandfather was Ahn Sangho, who worked as a doctor during the Japanese colonial period, sparking controversy about his actions. According to the Integrated Information System of Korea’s Historical Figures, operated by the Academy of Korean Studies, Ahn Sangho (1872–1927) graduated from the Tokyo Jikei Medical School in 1902 and became the first Korean to acquire a Japanese medical license.

According to the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Ahn Sangho returned to Korea in 1904 and served as Sunjong’s royal physician, teaching Western medicine at the medical school founded by Ji Seok-Young and at Dongdamhan Medical School. He established his own clinic in Jongno 3-ga, Seoul, where he practiced medicine, and led the Hansung Medical Association—a group of Korean doctors formed to counter the Gyeongseong Medical Association, which consisted of Japanese physicians.

In January 1919, Ahn Sangho treated Emperor Gojong at Deoksugung Hamnyeongjeon alongside a Japanese physician named Mori-yasu, when the emperor collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage. Afterwards, Ahn Sangho faced false accusations of having poisoned Gojong at the instigation of Japanese individuals. Additionally, an article published in 1918 in Maeil Shinbo recorded that Ahn Sangho married a Japanese woman and adopted a Japanese lifestyle, further fueling suspicions.

However, the Academy of Korean Studies has explained that there is insufficient evidence to confirm the truth or falsehood of these allegations. It has also been confirmed that Ahn Sangho’s name does not appear in the Biographical Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators published by the Center for Historical Truth and Justice in 2009.

Meanwhile, Ha Young debuted in 2019 with KBS 2TV’s drama ‘Doctor Prisoner’ and has appeared in Netflix series such as ‘Severe Trauma Center,’ ‘Monthly Boyfriend,’ and ‘True Education.’ She starred alongside Jung Haein in Netflix’s ‘This F*cked Up Love,’ released on August 7, and is set to appear in the upcoming SBS drama ‘We Have a Winning Chance’ next year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.