Actor Ha Young in Netflix medical drama series “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call” (2025)NETFLIX
Actor Ha Young will not appear in follow-up seasons of the Netflix medical drama series "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call" (2025) amid controversy over allegations that her great-grandfather engaged in pro-Japanese activities during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of Korea.
"Ha Young will not appear in the follow-up installments of 'The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call' as we respect the actor’s decision," Netflix said on Tuesday.
The show’s first season was released last year and drew a strong response from viewers in both Korea and globally.
Ha Young gained recognition for her role as Cheon Jang-mi, a nurse on the trauma team, in the first season. She had been expected to return alongside Ju Ji-hoon and Choo Young-woo for the follow-up installments.
However, controversy erupted after Ha Young appeared last month on KBS variety show "Problem Child in House" (2018–) and revealed that she comes from a family of doctors spanning four generations.
Online allegations then surfaced concerning her great-grandfather, An Sang-ho (1872-1927), a doctor during Japan's colonial rule, centering on claims that he had engaged in pro-Japanese activities.
The actor’s representatives initially dismissed the allegations as "groundless," but reversed their position and apologized a day later as the controversy grew.
Actor Ha Young posted a handwritten letter on her Instagram on Aug. 12, expressing regret over her lack of knowledge about her family’s pro-Japanese past.SCREEN CAPTURE
"While looking through the relevant records myself, I learned of my great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese activities," the actor said. "I regret that I spoke lightly about my family history without properly understanding our country’s painful history under Japanese colonial rule."
The core of the public anger stems from not only the traumatic history of colonialism by Imperial Japan but also the Korean government’s failure to properly punish those who were pro-Japanese collaborators and sympathizers following Korea’s liberation in 1945.
President Lee Jae Myung, center, accompanied by first lady Kim Hea Kyung and aides, visits the historic site of Korea's provisional government in Shanghai during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule on Jan. 7, the last stop of his four-day state visit to China.JOINT PRESS CORPS
The failure of accountability allowed the descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators to continue benefiting from wealth, property and privilege accumulated during the colonial rule. The controversy even led to President Lee Jae Myung publicly announcing he would focus on seizures of assets wrongfully accumulated by colonial collaborators during his Liberation Day address in August.
Longstanding issues, including that of wartime "comfort women," also remain unresolved to this day. The latest controversy opened up unhealed wounds and generational trauma surrounding the most excruciating periods of Korean history.
A human-rights activist cleans the Statue of Peace — symbolizing the victims of comfort women sexual abuse by Japan during its colonial rule over Korea from 1910 to 1945 — outside the former Japanese Embassy in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 1.NEWS1
"I take his wrongdoing very seriously and sincerely apologize as his descendant," the actor said.
Calls then grew for Ha Young to step down from upcoming SBS legal drama "There Is a Chance" (translated), in which she has already completed most of her filming as a lead, as well as the planned second and third seasons of "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call."
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [lee.jiwon10@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
