0
Photo / Courtesy of Hayoung's Instagram

Actor Hayoung issued a personal apology regarding the controversy surrounding the pro-Japanese past of her great-grandfather, An Sang-ho. She also apologized for her agency's initial statement claiming the allegations were groundless.

In a post on her Instagram account on August 12, Hayoung stated, "First and foremost, I bow my head in apology for causing deep disappointment and hurt over matters related to my great-grandfather."

Hayoung explained that she had previously known of her great-grandfather's life only through stories passed down by her family. "Shamefully, from a place of ignorance, I often spoke about my great-grandfather on various occasions as if he were a point of family pride," she admitted.

She noted that while reviewing relevant records herself, she came to learn of his pro-Japanese activities. "I reflect deeply on having lightly mentioned my family history without properly understanding our nation's painful history during the Japanese colonial era," she wrote.

Hayoung's great-grandfather, the late An Sang-ho, served as a councillor for the Daejeong Friendship Association, a pro-Japanese organization active in Korea during the colonial period. Historical records also confirm that he was among the physicians who treated pro-Japanese collaborator Lee Wan-yong following an assassination attempt in 1909.

According to a December 10, 1918 article in the Maeil Sinbo, the official publication of the Japanese Japanese Government-General of Korea, the late An declared his adoption of Japanese clothing, food, and lifestyle, stating, "I am just like a Japanese person; I wear Japanese clothes and my wife is a Japanese woman." He added that Korean was not spoken in his home, leaving his children with no knowledge of the language.

Hayoung also addressed her agency's initial "groundless" defense. "Because I was unaware of the exact facts, a statement denying the claims was released through my agency," she stated. "Allowing an inaccurate position to be communicated without adequate verification is entirely my own oversight."

She continued, "I believe that my personal ignorance cannot serve as an excuse to ignore or trivialize history. I carry the weight of these past actions and offer my sincere apologies as a descendant."

Pledging to study history and take actionable steps, Hayoung shared, "I will thoroughly examine my family history and that era, approaching history with far greater seriousness going forward. I will dedicate myself to studying our history deeply and honoring independence activists and all who fought for our nation's liberation and well-being."

Concluding her statement, Hayoung wrote, "I will demonstrate this through actions rather than words alone. Once again, I sincerely apologize to everyone I have concerned."

Public reaction to Hayoung's apology remained largely critical among online users.

Commenters took issue with the initial "groundless" denial as well as the absence of specific accountability or follow-up measures in her statement.

Some users commented, "An apology doesn't erase what ancestors did," and "First you said it was groundless, and now this." Others pointed out that "ignorance is also a fault" and noted that "there is no detailed explanation of what went wrong."

Additional feedback highlighted that while her statement addressed her great-grandfather, it omitted any mention of her grandfather An Bu-ho's employment history at Sorokdo.

                                                                                                            Jeong A-reum