Actress Ha Young recently became the center of public attention for a heartbreaking reason. Reports indicate that the rising star shed tears on the set of SBS’s upcoming drama ‘There Is a Chance of Winning’ amidst ongoing controversy surrounding the pro-Japanese activities of her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang Ho.
According to a MyDaily report on August 16, Ha Young was filming ‘There Is a Chance of Winning’ on August 13 when she suddenly burst into tears. She was unable to regain her composure for some time, leading to a temporary suspension of filming. The report stated she took several hours to rest before returning to complete her scheduled scenes. Adding to the somber atmosphere, a planned birthday cake celebration for Ha Young’s August 11th birthday at the filming location was also canceled.
Unpacking the Controversy: Ha Young’s Great-Grandfather
The intense scrutiny on Ha Young began recently after details of her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang Ho’s, pro-Japanese activities during the Japanese colonial period came to light. The initial spark came from an appearance on KBS2’s ‘Problem Child in House,’ where Ha Young mentioned her great-grandfather opened a Western medicine clinic in Hanyang and reportedly treated King Gojong. Following this broadcast, online claims identified her great-grandfather as the doctor Ahn Sang Ho, and as more information surfaced about his pro-Japanese past, the controversy escalated significantly. Reports confirmed that Ahn Sang Ho was featured in the Japanese colonial government’s official publication for his Japanese-style lifestyle and had worked at Sorokdo Hospital. Further fueling the allegations, his name also appeared on the 1916 list of council members of the pro-Japanese organization Daejeong Friendship Association.
Ha Young’s Response and Apology
Initially, Ha Young’s agency denied the allegations. However, after confirming Ahn Sang Ho’s pro-Japanese activities, their position changed. Ha Young personally issued a handwritten apology, expressing that she takes her great-grandfather’s wrongdoing seriously and apologizes as his descendant.
“There Is a Chance of Winning” Filming Continues
Despite the surrounding controversy, Ha Young has continued filming for ‘There Is a Chance of Winning,’ which is slated to air next year. The drama is described as a comedic legal detective series, centered around a law office managed by former lawyer Kwon Baek, and also stars Lee Jae Hoon. As of now, there has been no reported change to Ha Young’s participation in the drama. SBS has maintained its stance, previously stating, “A significant portion of filming has already been completed. We are aware of the matter and are closely monitoring how the situation develops. If there are any developments that need to be addressed in the future, we will let you know.” Filming is reportedly in its final stages and is expected to conclude within the next three weeks. According to MyDaily, replacing the female lead at this stage, with nearly 90% of production completed, would be incredibly difficult and incur additional production costs amounting to tens of billions of KRW.
Looking Ahead: Broadcast Challenges and Advertising Impacts
The drama’s scheduled air date in February next year means its broadcast period will coincide with March 1, Korea’s Independence Movement Day. This timing is likely to prolong and intensify the controversy following the drama’s airing. Furthermore, ‘There Is a Chance of Winning’ is a remake of a Japanese drama, which may make it harder to entirely separate the production from the ongoing allegations against Ha Young’s great-grandfather, raising questions about whether advertisements will be secured smoothly.
Other Affected Content
Beyond the drama, Ha Young’s professional life has already seen direct impacts. Advertising videos for electronics and clothing brands featuring Ha Young as a model have been made private. Reruns of KBS 2TV’s ‘Problem Child in House,’ the very show where she first mentioned her great-grandfather, have also been suspended. Additionally, content filmed to promote Netflix’s ‘Our Sticky Love’ can no longer be released publicly.
