Jung Hae-in left to promote new series alone amid co-star controversy

Actor Jung Hae-in has been left to promote his latest project alone after scheduled promotional activities were disrupted by a controversy surrounding the family history of his co-star, Oh Ha-young. It appears he has come face-to-face with an unexpected 'shitty' reality, mirroring the title of the project.

On the 14th, Jung posted a single photo on his SNS with the short caption, "... #ThisShittyLove." While he provided no additional explanation beyond the project's hashtag, attention naturally gravitated toward the post as it was released immediately after the controversy involving Oh erupted.

In the photo, Jung gazes into the camera wearing an all-black suit against a dark outdoor background. His disheveled, wet-look hair, facial wound makeup, and the prominent veins on his interlaced hands leave a powerful impression. The sophisticated suit and rugged atmosphere create a subtle contrast, effectively conveying the tension of his character.

Jung stars alongside Oh in the Netflix original series "This Shitty Love," which was released on the 7th. While promotional activities for the two leads were expected to begin in earnest following the release, the situation changed abruptly when controversy arose regarding the pro-Japanese activities of Oh's great-grandfather, An Sang-ho.

The controversy began when Oh recently introduced her family as a "four-generation family of doctors" on several broadcasts, proudly mentioning her great-grandfather's career. Subsequently, the issue escalated into a debate over historical awareness as records resurfaced showing that An Sang-ho was active in the Daejeong Chinmokhoe, a group with pro-Japanese characteristics during the Japanese colonial period.

Oh's side initially denied the allegations, calling them "groundless." However, during the additional verification process, it was confirmed that An Sang-ho's name appeared on the list of council members for the Daejeong Chinmokhoe in 1916, leading her side to reverse its position within a single day.

Her agency issued an official apology, stating, "We sincerely apologize for causing confusion by hastily responding that it was 'groundless' without sufficient verification." Oh also expressed remorse through a handwritten apology, stating that she reflected on the fact that she had proudly spoken of her great-grandfather's life without properly knowing his history.

As a result of this fallout, Oh canceled her scheduled Netflix interview, and Jung, who leads the project alongside her, was also unable to participate in his scheduled interview on the same day. Despite the controversy having no direct connection to the work itself, the promotional schedules of the cast and production team have been heavily impacted.

It is an especially awkward situation for Jung. While he should have been focusing on promotions ahead of the release, he has been held back by an unexpected variable: a social debate surrounding a co-star's family history. Furthermore, despite not being a party to this controversy, Jung's promotional activities have been disrupted simply because he is a co-lead.

In the midst of this, the photo released by Jung contained no special explanation or mention of the issue. Instead, he appears to be focusing on his character and the work, leaving only the title "This Shitty Love." This can be interpreted as a choice to distance himself from the controversy while continuing to promote the project.

Ultimately, this incident highlights the question of how far a celebrity's family history can be attributed to individual responsibility, as well as the significant impact caused by consuming a "family pride" narrative without verifying historical figures.

In particular, there is a clear need to distinguish between an actor's individual activities and the actions of their ancestors. Oh also admitted in her apology, "I only knew fragments of my great-grandfather's life through stories passed down by my family." Therefore, rather than unconditionally holding descendants accountable for historical matters, the focus should be on thoroughly verifying historical context and approaching the sharing of family history with the public cautiously.

Jung must talk about love within the work, but in reality, he is facing a completely different kind of controversy. It is a moment where the "shitty love" of the title unexpectedly overlaps with the irony of reality.