Oh Ha-young's 'first hanbok' post resurfaces amid ancestor controversy

As controversy continues regarding the pro-Japanese activities of An Sang-ho, the great-grandfather of actress Oh Ha-young, a social media post she made five years ago—expressing joy over her “first *hanbok* in my life”—is drawing renewed attention.

On January 9, 2021, Oh posted a photo from the set of the KBS2 drama 'Royal Secret Agent' to her SNS with the caption, "Enjoyed filming my first *hanbok* in my life." At the time, the post was viewed as a simple reflection on wearing traditional Korean attire for a production. However, as the historical actions of her great-grandfather, An Sang-ho, have recently come to light, the phrase has been resurfaced by netizens.

The core of the controversy lies not in Oh's words themselves, but in their perceived connection to remarks made by her great-grandfather in 'Maeil Sinbo,' a publication of the Japanese Governor-General of Korea.

In 1918, 'Maeil Sinbo' recorded An as an exemplary case of adopting a Japanese lifestyle and facilitating the assimilation of Koreans. At that time, An reportedly remarked that he "has never once worn Korean clothes" and "cannot eat even a little bit of spicy food moving forward."

Following the disclosure of these records, some netizens pointed out that Oh, born in 1993, was 28 years old at the time of her 2021 post, questioning why she would use the phrase “first *hanbok* in my life” in her late 20s. This has led to interpretations that link the great-grandfather's historical remarks to the descendant's modern social media activity.

However, there are clear interpretive limits to such a connection. It cannot be definitively concluded that she had never worn *hanbok* during her upbringing based solely on that caption. Given that the post was made on a drama set, it is highly likely she meant it was her first time wearing the attire as an actress for a professional role, rather than a lifetime experience.

Public opinion remains divided. While some criticize Oh by linking her great-grandfather's history to her post, others argue that "it could simply mean it was her first time wearing it for filming" and that "connecting a simple post to her ancestor's remarks is an excessive interpretation."

The controversy began after Oh introduced her family history on a broadcast.

On the variety show 'Problem Child in House,' Oh mentioned she comes from a "fourth-generation doctor family," noting that her great-grandfather opened the first Western-style clinic in Hanyang and treated Emperor Gojong. Subsequently, controversy spread when it was revealed that An was included in the list of councilors for the Daejeong Chinmokhoe in 1916.

Her agency initially claimed there were "parts that are different from the facts," but after confirming the existence of the historical records, they apologized for the initial response. Oh also issued a handwritten apology, stating, "I believe the fact that I did not know does not provide a reason to turn away from or lightly regard that history. I take these errors heavily and sincerely apologize as a descendant."

The fact that an SNS post from five years ago has become a subject of re-interpretation illustrates how a celebrity's family history and collective historical memory can imbue even minor past words with new, controversial meaning.

Nevertheless, a distinction must be made between verifying historical facts and evaluating the actions of an individual descendant. Accurately verifying the historical responsibility of an ancestor is a separate matter from mechanically linking every action of a descendant to those of their forebears.

Oh is currently filming the new SBS drama 'There is a Chance,' scheduled to air next February. As she continues her career following her apology, attention is focused on how public perception will evolve as her past posts remain in the spotlight.