Oh Ha-young faces scrutiny as upcoming project is Japanese remake

Actress Oh Ha-young has found herself in an awkward position as it was revealed that her upcoming project, currently under filming, is a remake of a Japanese drama. This comes amid controversy surrounding her great-grandfather's actions during the Japanese colonial period. However, some observers point out that her great-grandfather's history and Oh's own professional activities must be strictly separated.

Oh participated normally in the filming of the new SBS drama "There Is a Chance" on the 11th. Although it was the first scheduled filming session since the controversy erupted, there were reportedly no significant changes on set. The production team has also not decided on any measures, such as halting filming or changing the cast, at this time.

The production team for "There Is a Chance" remained tight-lipped about the specific progress of filming, stating, "A significant portion of the filming has already proceeded." They added, "We are aware of the matter and are closely monitoring the current developments."

Meanwhile, the origins of the work are drawing renewed attention in conjunction with this controversy. "There Is a Chance" is a remake of the Japanese TV Asahi drama "Legal V ~Lawyer Shoko Takanashi~."

The original work, broadcast in Japan in 2018, depicts a protagonist who loses their law license and gathers a group of eccentric lawyers to form a firm to stand against massive law firms and powerful interests. The Korean version has introduced changes to gender and settings. Lee Je-hoon plays Kwon Baek, who lives as a law firm manager after being stripped of his license, while Oh appears as the rookie lawyer Yeo Shim-hee.

Coincidentally, as it was revealed that Oh is continuing filming for a production based on a Japanese original at the same time she is embroiled in controversy over her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities, the work itself has received unexpected attention. However, logically, criticizing the production by directly linking it to Oh's family history is a separate issue.

The controversy began during the KBS2 show "Problem Child in House," which aired on the 7th. During the broadcast, Oh introduced her family as a "four-generation doctor family" and mentioned that her great-grandfather studied medicine in Japan, opened a Western-style clinic in Hanyang, and treated Emperor Gojong.

Subsequently, speculations arose online that the individual mentioned was the modern-era doctor An Sang-ho. The controversy expanded as records resurfaced showing that An Sang-ho's name was on the list of councilors for the Daejeong Chinmokhoe, an organization known to be pro-Japanese.

Her agency initially responded to the allegations by stating they were untrue, but they revised their position just one day after further verification. The agency stated, "We confirmed the record that An Sang-ho's name actually exists on the list of Daejeong Chinmokhoe councilors. We sincerely apologize for causing confusion by hastily responding that it was 'groundless' without sufficient verification."

As the repercussions of the controversy continue to affect advertisements and broadcasts, Oh's next project has now also come under fire.

However, a clear distinction needs to be made. It is a completely different matter to hold Oh historically and morally responsible for her great-grandfather's actions through guilt by association, versus questioning how she accepts the confirmed facts regarding the family history she publicly introduced. No evidence has been presented that Oh herself engaged in pro-Japanese activities.

Ultimately, the key to determining the direction of the controversy lies not in the accidental connection of the "Japanese remake," but in how Oh explains and accepts her family history and the newly confirmed historical records.

Currently, "There Is a Chance" is undergoing filming with a goal to broadcast next year. While attention is focused on whether the production team will maintain Oh's casting and how much the controversy will affect the work, the debate over where to draw the line between family history and an individual actor's responsibility is expected to continue.