Ha Young is facing another setback amid the continuing fallout surrounding the controversy over her great-grandfather’s historical record. Panasonic has reportedly made advertisements featuring the actress private, adding to the growing list of promotional content removed or restricted since the controversy emerged.
According to OSEN, Panasonic made a 2020 advertisement featuring Ha Young private. The company has not publicly confirmed why the advertisement was taken down, meaning its connection to the ongoing controversy has not been officially established.
Panasonic Makes Ha Young’s 2020 Advertisement Private
Ha Young previously modeled for Panasonic, and the advertisement in question dates back to 2020. Its move to private comes more than a month after scrutiny began over the actress’s family history. While OSEN reported the timing alongside the controversy, there has been no official statement from Panasonic directly linking the decision to the issue involving Ha Young’s great-grandfather. This distinction remains important as the actress continues to face professional consequences.
The Panasonic development follows similar actions involving other brands. Samsung Electronics reportedly made videos featuring Ha Young for its Samsung Art TV campaign private on August 12, while clothing brand Artid also reportedly took similar steps.
What Sparked Ha Young’s Family History Controversy?
The controversy began after Ha Young appeared on KBS2’s Problem Child in House on August 7. During the appearance, she spoke about her family’s four-generation medical background and mentioned her great-grandfather in connection with her preparation for The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call.
Historical records subsequently drew attention to her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang Ho. Records identified him as a council member of Daejeong Chinmokhoe in 1916, an organization associated with pro-Japanese activities during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea.
Ha Young’s agency initially described the claims as “groundless” before reversing its position after further verification. On August 11, BISTUS Entertainment confirmed that records showing Ahn Sang Ho’s name on the organization’s 1916 council member list did exist and apologized for its earlier response.
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Ha Young Previously Apologized Over The Controversy
Ha Young subsequently addressed the issue herself in a handwritten apology posted on social media on August 12. She said she had learned more about her great-grandfather’s past while reviewing historical materials and expressed regret for discussing her family history without fully understanding the period.
Yonhap reported that Ha Young acknowledged her lack of knowledge could not be used as an excuse and said she would reflect on the matter. The controversy has since affected several areas of her career. Advertisements featuring the actress have been made private, while she also decided not to return for Season 2 of Netflix’s The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call. Netflix confirmed that it respected her decision.
What’s Next For Ha Young?
Despite the ongoing backlash, Ha Young remains attached to upcoming projects. She is set to appear in the SBS drama The Long Shot Trial, which is scheduled for 2027, although the production team has said it is monitoring the situation and discussing her involvement.
Meanwhile, the Panasonic development marks another instance in which older promotional material featuring the actress has become unavailable. For now, the company has not explained whether the move was directly connected to the controversy, leaving the precise reason for the decision unconfirmed.
Final Take
Ha Young’s Panasonic advertisements becoming private adds another development to the professional fallout surrounding the controversy over her family history. However, with Panasonic yet to publicly state its reason, the connection should be treated as unconfirmed.
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