South Korean actor Ha Young, who recently gained attention for her role in the Netflix romantic comedy [Our Sticky Love], is facing controversy over allegations surrounding her great-grandfather’s links to an organisation loyal to Japan during Korea’s colonial period.

The actor, who has also appeared in Netflix series such as [The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call] and [Teach You a Lesson], has canceled all promotional activities for her leading role in the K-drama Our Sticky Love. The move came after her agency initially denied and later acknowledged the existence of records related to her great-grandfather. The controversy has emerged just days before August 15, South Korea’s National Liberation Day, adding further sensitivity to the issue.

How the controversy began

Jung Hae-in and Ha Young were scheduled to participate in an interview for “Our Sticky Love” today (August 14), but it was canceled due to the controversy surrounding Ha Young’s family history (August 11, 2026, OSEN exclusive). The decision was reportedly influenced by concerns that discussing the great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese allegations just a day before National Liberation Day would be inappropriate.

Ha Young had previously appeared on KBS 2TV’s “Problem Child in House,” where she said that her great-grandfather, after studying in Japan, opened the first Western-style hospital in Hanyang and even treated Emperor Gojong.

However, subsequent reports revealed that the great-grandfather she referred to, An Sang-ho, treated Emperor Gojong alongside a Japanese doctor in 1919, when the emperor suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. An Sang-ho had entered Tokyo Jikei Medical School in 1898 and passed the medical licensing examination in 1902.

Records published in the August 1918 edition of Maeil Sinbo, a publication affiliated with the Japanese Government-General of Korea, reportedly showed that An Sang-ho married a Japanese woman and adopted Japanese lifestyles, prompting suspicions about his alleged pro-Japanese activities. The controversy grew because Ha Young had previously spoken of her great-grandfather as a source of pride on the television program.

As the issue gained attention, Ha Young shared a handwritten apology on social media on the 12th, directly addressing the allegations. She wrote, “We deeply apologize for causing great disappointment and pain regarding the matters involving our great-grandfather, An Sang-ho.” She added, “Recently, upon learning about our great-grandfather’s past, we reflected on our family history with a heavy heart.”

Ha Young explained that she had only been familiar with fragments of her family’s history passed down through generations and had unknowingly referred to her great-grandfather as a source of pride in various situations. She continued, “While researching related materials, we learned about our great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese activities. We reflect on how we lightly addressed our family history without fully understanding the painful history of the Japanese colonial period.”

She further stated, “Not being aware of the facts cannot justify ignoring or trivializing history. We accept this mistake with humility and sincerely apologize as descendants.” Concluding her statement, she said, “We are particularly remorseful for causing controversy during this sensitive period ahead of National Liberation Day.”