CHUNG HA's activist grandfather spotlighted amid Ha-young controversy

As controversy expands regarding the pro-Japanese activities of actress Ha-young's great-grandfather, An Sang-ho, the family history of singer CHUNG HA, whose maternal grandfather was an independence activist, is being brought back into the spotlight. The two cases stand in stark contrast: one involves an individual who dedicated himself to the independence and democratization movements, while the other has become the center of controversy as records linking him to pro-Japanese organizations during the colonial era were confirmed.

CHUNG HA's maternal grandfather was the esteemed Kim Yong-geun. It is known that during his time at Pyongyang Sungsil School during the Japanese colonial period, Kim refused to participate in Shinto shrine worship and joined the anti-Japanese movement. Furthermore, while attending Yonhui College, he was involved in secret organizational activities aimed at assassinating the Governor-General, leading to two separate imprisonments.

Even after liberation, his life remained intertwined with the turbulent modern history of the Republic of Korea. When the Korean War broke out, he enlisted and fought in the war. During the May 18 Democratization Movement in 1980, he was arrested and imprisoned for hiding students who were wanted by the authorities.

His achievements in the anti-Japanese independence movement have been officially recognized by the state. Following a Presidential Citation in 1986, he was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1990, and in 2002, he was also recognized as a person of merit for the May 18 Democratization Movement.

- “I hoped I would learn Korean history someday” — The reason CHUNG HA immersed herself in studying Korean history

CHUNG HA has previously revealed that she developed an interest in history inspired by her maternal grandfather's life.

Appearing on Lee Hye-ri's YouTube channel in 2024, CHUNG HA shared that she challenged herself to take the Korean History Proficiency Test during her hiatus from activities. At the time, she expressed a desire to properly understand the flow of Korean history, noting that her mother had often told her, "I hope you learn Korean history someday."

In particular, CHUNG HA, who revealed, "My grandfather was an independence activist," explained that her studies went beyond simply obtaining a certification; they were intended to help her understand her family's history and the era in which she lives.

Because of this, CHUNG HA's case is gaining renewed attention following the eruption of the controversy surrounding Ha-young's family history. The two cases reveal different ways of addressing the question of how to remember and inherit a family's past.

- Ha-young's great-grandfather An Sang-ho: Pro-Japanese controversy behind the pride of a '4th generation doctor family'

In Ha-young's case, the controversy began during the process of introducing her family history.

Appearing on KBS2's "Problem Child in House" on the 7th, Ha-young introduced herself as being from a family of doctors for four generations, stating that her great-grandfather was a doctor who opened a Western-style clinic in Hanyang and treated Emperor Gojong.

However, following the broadcast, it was revealed that the individual in question was An Sang-ho, and the situation changed rapidly as his activities during the Japanese colonial period were brought to light.

Records confirm that An Sang-ho was on the list of councilors for the Daejeong Chinmokhoe, an organization evaluated as having pro-Japanese characteristics, in 1916. Additionally, data released by the Korean History Database of the National Institute of Korean History revealed that he was recorded as one of the medical staff members who treated Yi Wan-yong, who was seriously injured in an attack in 1909.

However, when evaluating the position of a specific individual during the colonial period, it is necessary to comprehensively examine individual records alongside the socio-political context of the time. While one cannot definitively conclude all political inclinations or actions based solely on a medical relationship with a specific person, records related to the Daejeong Chinmokhoe are points that require separate historical review.

As the controversy grew, Ha-young eventually apologized for her ignorance and her complacent perception of her family history. She bowed her head, admitting that she had spoken of her great-grandfather's story as a point of family pride and stated that she learned of the pro-Japanese activities while personally verifying the relevant materials.

- Family history is more about how it is remembered than 'bloodline'

The cases of CHUNG HA and Ha-young are interesting because the layers of their family histories are far more complex than simply consuming them through a provocative frame of 'descendant of an independence activist vs. descendant of a pro-Japanese collaborator.'

Holding descendants directly responsible for the actions of their ancestors is a separate matter. One cannot reduce the historical choices made long before a person was born to that person's moral responsibility. However, how one remembers those lives and how they use that history to shape their own identity or public image is a different dimension entirely.

CHUNG HA's decision to study Korean history because of her grandfather's legacy is an example of connecting the past to modern self-reflection. In contrast, Ha-young's case grew larger because the family's honor as a '4th generation doctor family' was introduced to the public before the historical records behind it were revealed.

Ultimately, the issue is not whether one inherits an ancestor's honor or their mistakes, but how accurately one looks at the past and with what attitude one remembers it.

Due to the fallout from the controversy, Ha-young canceled her Netflix interview for "This F***ing Love" scheduled for the 14th. The interview for her co-star Jung Hae-in, also scheduled for the same day, was also canceled.

This controversy is expected to spark further debate regarding how celebrities' family backgrounds are used for promotion and to what extent the historical evaluation of an ancestor should be linked to a public figure today.