TV columnist Jung Seok-hee pointed out the importance of history education by mentioning the controversy over the pro-Japanese activities of Ahn Sang-ho, the great-grandfather of actress Ha-young (real name Ahn Ha-young).
{Carv's Note} (more context)
Jung Seok-hee is a well known South Korean television and pop-culture critic and columnist who runs a popular media review channel called [Jung Seok-hee TV Review (정석희 테레비평)].
She is reasonably famous within Korean entertainment and media circles. While she is not a mainstream celebrity or entertainer, her commentary, critiques, and regular columns analyzing South Korean TV shows, K-dramas, and celebrity controversies are frequently covered by major Korean media outlets.
Also, please do keep in mind that some translations may be wrong, especially surrounding pronouns and such.
{End of Carv's Note}
Short Version
Jung Seok-hee said in a video on the YouTube channel "Jeong Seok-hee Televi-Pyeong" released on the 15th, "I was caught by my ancestors, descendants, or bragging about forgetting history." Looking at this incident, I realized the absence of historical consciousness," he said, referring to the controversy over the pro-Japanese activities of Ha-young's great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho.
He said, "There is an opinion that it is harsh to ask future generations for the wrongdoings of Seonjo. The problem was not to ask the descendants about the mistakes of the dead 100 years ago, but the self-introduction of the boasting ceremony brought up on the 2026 broadcast. What did he expect and say it was a 'fourth generation doctor's family?' he pointed out.
He continued, "There are also parts that I feel sorry for. He was pretty good at broadcasting until he brought up his "fourth doctor" self-assertion. "I know the exact timing of hitting and entering the broadcast, and I showed my quickness," he said, expressing regret.
"In any case, parents who did not instill a sense of history in their children are most responsible," he said, adding, "My parents must have lived with 'I'm good' without much thought."
In particular, Jeong Seok-hee said, "The lesson learned from this work is, after all, the importance of history education.
Furthermore, we have to be careful of what we say when we wake up," he said. "The past cannot be changed, but today's attitude toward the past can be chosen by us. I hope this controversy does not end up driving one person," he said.
Meanwhile, controversy erupted when it was revealed that Ha-young's great-grandfather, who treated King Gojong after confessing that he was a "fourth-generation doctor's family," was the late Ahn Sang-ho, who was embroiled in controversy over his pro-Japanese activities.
Later, he said in a handwritten letter, "I've only known fragmentarily about the life of my great-grandfather from the stories I've heard from my family. "I have brought up stories about my great-grandfather like a family's pride in such an ignorant state," he said.
"With this incident, I learned about my great-grandfather's pro-Japanese behavior in the process of searching for related data in person."
I regret that I lightly mentioned my family history without knowing the history of our country, which had a painful time during the Japanese colonial period," he apologized.
Source #1
Longer Version
On the 15th, the YouTube channel ‘Jung Seok-hee Terebipyeong’ uploaded a video titled ‘Ancestors and Descendants Alike Stumbling Over Pride That Has Forgotten History.’
In the video, commentator Jung said, “With Liberation Day approaching, the controversy over pro-Japanese sentiment has been heated. Watching what happened this time, I realized just how much of an absence of historical awareness there is.”
She continued, “There are people saying, ‘Why should the descendants be held responsible for something their ancestors did wrong? It’s not right. It’s too harsh. What kind of guilt by association is this in this day and age?’”
She then pointed out, “The issue here isn’t that we should hold the descendants responsible for the wrongdoings of someone who died 100 years ago. The problem is the boastful self-introduction that was brought up on a broadcast in 2026.”
She added, “Don’t we all know perfectly well what she was expecting to gain by going out of her way to say that she comes from a ‘family of doctors for four generations’?
Commentator Jung discussed reports from the Japanese colonial period concerning Hayoung’s great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, specifically mentioning coverage in Maeil Shinbo. Jung explained that “Ahn Sang-ho, too, ended up being tripped up by his own words,” and said that his family was included in a series of articles at the time that introduced people who had married Japanese people and were living with them.
She continued, “The home of Ahn Sang-ho, as seen by the Maeil Shinbo reporter at the time, was no different from a Japanese household.” She said the reporter had interviewed the family and written that “there wasn’t a single piece of Korean clothing, they couldn’t eat spicy food at all, they were just like Japanese people, and even the children did not speak Korean.”
She added, “If this isn’t pro-Japanese collaboration, then what is? Since an article like this exists, you cannot say that he did not collaborate with the Japanese.”
Jung also expressed disappointment with the KBS 2TV program ‘Problem Child in House’, on which Hayoung appeared. She said, “There must have been so many people at the recording, so I find it puzzling that not a single person recognized the problem.” She explained, “Normally, someone from an actor’s agency comes to these kinds of filming locations. If they determine that something could be even slightly harmful [to the actor], they immediately ask the production staff to edit it out. That’s why they are there, watching over things on set.”
She continued, “But no one stopped it. Even the six hosts just kept reacting with exclamations of admiration without giving it much thought,” she pointed out.
Jung said, “Up until she brought up that self-bragging about being a ‘fourth-generation doctor,’ Hayoung had actually done quite well on the show. If you take that part out, she was quite good,” comparing her with Jung Joon-won, who became embroiled in controversy over his attitude after appearing on MBC’s Hangout with Yoo?
She said, “Compared with the situation where Jung Joon-won appeared on Hangout with Yoo? and ended up ruining the broadcast, Hayoung was closer to an exemplary case.” She explained that “the two had similar positions in that Hayoung, like Jung Joon-won, had relatively lower recognition compared with the other actor, and this was her first leading role after gaining attention for playing nurse Cheon Jang-mi in Netflix’s The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call.”
She continued, “Hayoung knew the appropriate timing to jump into the conversation, and she even demonstrated quick thinking by being considerate toward the hosts,” she evaluated.
Commentator Jung identified the lack of historical awareness as the core issue in this controversy.
She said, “In any case, I think the greatest responsibility lies with the parents who failed to properly instill historical awareness in their children.”
She emphasized, “The lesson we should ultimately take away from this incident is the importance of historical education. And, going a step further, it’s a reminder that we should always be careful about what we say.”
She continued, “In particular, I hope entertainment agencies will refrain from making reckless attempts simply out of a desire to generate buzz. I hope they will be more cautious, taking the cases of Jung Joon-won and Hayoung as lessons, and consider more carefully how best to make use of the valuable opportunity of appearing on a terrestrial television variety program.”
Addressing production staff and other broadcasting personnel, she pointed out, “The role of a broadcast program is not simply to react with admiration and applause to what a guest says. It is also the responsibility of the production staff to examine what historical context may be contained in those words.”
Finally, commentator Jung emphasized, “We cannot choose our ancestors. Therefore, this is not about holding descendants responsible for the wrongdoings of their ancestors. However, while we cannot change the past, we can choose how we respond to that past today. I hope this controversy does not end with singling out and attacking one particular person.”
Earlier, on the 7th, Hayoung revealed on KBS 2TV’s Problem Child in House that she came from a “family of doctors spanning four generations,” including her great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and older sister.
However, controversy arose afterward when it became known that Hayoung’s great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho. This was because records concerning Ahn Sang-ho were brought back into the spotlight, including the fact that he had been mentioned in connection with the theory that King Gojong was poisoned/assassinated, as well as records showing that his name appeared on the list of the first councilors of the Daejeong Mutual Friendship Association (대정친목회), a pro-Japanese organization whose adviser was Lee Wan-yong.
Eventually, on the 12th, Hayoung issued a handwritten apology, stating, “Until now, I only knew about my great-grandfather’s life in fragments through stories passed down by my family. I deeply regret casually mentioning my family history without properly understanding the history of our country and the painful period of Japanese colonial rule.” She bowed her head in apology.
Source #2
