Jung Hae-in appears solo on 'Salon Drip' amid co-star Ha-young controversy

As controversy grows regarding the family history of actress Ha-young, a co-star in his latest project, actor Jung Hae-in has made a solo appearance on a variety show to promote the work. While the pre-recorded broadcast was released as scheduled, attention has shifted to Jung's solo appearance as promotional schedules for the project have faced disruptions due to the fallout surrounding Ha-young.

On the 11th, a video was released featuring Jung as a guest on the YouTube variety program 'Salon Drip.'

Recalling his past appearances, Jung expressed nervousness about appearing on a variety show alone. Mentioning a broadcast he appeared in two years ago with Jung So-min and Kang Ye-won, he said, "Watching the footage from two years ago makes me even more nervous. Back then, we were all together and filled the audio, but today I am alone.'

During that previous broadcast, the three shared stories related to their project in a relatively comfortable atmosphere. MC Jang Do-yeon recalled their appearance at the time, saying, "They looked beautiful, playing around like a youth drama and being sweet together.'

An anecdote from that time regarding Jung showing off his forearm muscles was also mentioned. Jung replied, "It's still doing well now,' to which Jang quipped, "I was wondering how it was,' shifting the mood.

Following the release of the broadcast, reactions from viewers and fans included welcoming Jung's solo appearance, alongside comments mindful of the recent controversy surrounding his co-star, Ha-young. Some viewers expressed sentiments such as "It's a relief he appeared alone," while others offered various opinions regarding the production team's casting choices.

This stems from the fact that Ha-young, who appears in the Netflix series 'This F***ing Love,' has recently been embroiled in controversy regarding her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities.

On the 7th, Ha-young appeared on the KBS 2TV variety program 'Problem Child in House' and introduced herself as being from a fourth-generation medical family. The controversy began when she mentioned that her great-grandfather was one of the early Western doctors who studied in Japan and opened a clinic in Korea, and had treated Emperor Gojong.

Following the broadcast, speculations arose online that Ha-young's great-grandfather might be An Sang-ho, who was active as a doctor during the Japanese colonial period. The debate intensified as records regarding An Sang-ho's activities during the colonial era and his participation in pro-Japanese organizations began to spread.

An Sang-ho is known to have graduated from Tokyo Women's Medical College in Japan in 1902, obtained a Japanese medical license, and then returned to Korea to practice medicine. In particular, the controversy expanded as records surfaced that the Daejeong Chinmokhoe, which he participated in as a council member, was an organization organized in Seoul during the Japanese colonial period. It is known that Yi Wan-yong participated in the Daejeong Chinmokhoe as an advisor.

Ha-young's agency, Bisters Entertainment, initially acknowledged that her great-grandfather was An Sang-ho but denied the online suspicions regarding pro-Japanese activities, stating they were untrue.

However, as related records were further confirmed, the agency revised its position. On the 11th, the agency apologized for its previous stance, stating, "Upon further verification, we confirmed that a record actually exists where Great-grandfather An Sang-ho's name appears on the list of council members for the Daejeong Chinmokhoe in 1916.'

Explanations from the family followed. Ha-young's father apologized for the controversy through a media interview, but the process triggered additional controversy regarding the expressions used to refer to the colonial period. As an article he had previously contributed to JoongAng Ilbo was re-examined, the issue expanded beyond individual remarks into matters of family history and historical perception.

The aftermath has also affected broadcasting and promotional schedules. The re-watch service for 'Problem Child in House,' in which Ha-young appeared, has been suspended, and it is reported that the media interviews related to 'This F***ing Love' scheduled for the 14th have also been canceled.

On the other hand, the 'Salon Drip' episode featuring Jung, which had already completed filming, was released on this day without any schedule changes. As Jung appeared on a variety program solo among the main cast, he ended up being relatively less directly affected by the controversy.

However, no official explanation has been given that this appearance is directly related to Ha-young's situation. As the 'Salon Drip' appearance and release schedule were likely determined before the controversy erupted, it is difficult to conclude that Jung's appearance was an intentional response or promotional strategy.

Ultimately, this situation serves as an example of how an individual actor's family history controversy can impact the promotional schedules of colleagues and an entire project. For pre-produced content, the gap between filming and release can lead to unexpected social issues, forcing production teams and cast members to face new variables in schedule management and crisis response.

Whether 'This F***ing Love' can maintain its competitiveness despite the controversy surrounding Ha-young, and how this will affect viewer response and the project's image, remains to be seen.