33-year-old Korean actress Heo Young (real name Ahn Heo Young) rose to stardom with hit dramas such as Severe Trauma Center, Bloodhounds, and My Sweet Mobster. However, she has been embroiled in an ongoing controversy as a 'pro-Japanese descendant,' leading to public boycotts. She is currently filming SBS's new drama Winning is Hope, scheduled to air next February. According to insiders, she broke down in tears on set and filming was temporarily halted due to her emotional turmoil—evidence of her immense psychological pressure.
Korean media reported on the 16th that Heo Young has been mired in controversy for days over her great-grandfather being a pro-Japanese doctor, making the filming process for Winning is Hope anything but smooth. On the 10th, it was revealed that her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, was a pro-Japanese doctor during the Japanese occupation period. The next day, which happened to be her 33rd birthday, the production crew had originally prepared a cake to celebrate her birthday on set. However, due to the controversy over her being a pro-Japanese descendant that erupted the day before, the celebration was handled discreetly in the end. According to insiders, Heo Young became emotionally overwhelmed and broke down in tears on her way to the set on the 13th, resulting in a temporary halt in filming. After several hours of rest to compose herself, she returned to finish the day's filming, barely staying on track. Since production is already nearing completion and expected to wrap up within three weeks, if SBS decides to recast, they would have to bear production costs of several billion won (at least 2.88 million ringgit). Therefore, the general opinion is that SBS will likely stick to its previous stance and not replace Heo Young.
However, Winning is Hope is slated to premiere next February, which will coincide with Korea's Independence Movement Memorial Day, the Samiljeol. In addition, as the series is a remake of the Japanese drama starring Ryoko Yonekura, which is also Japan-related, the controversy is bound to resurface. Heo Young may have difficulty shaking off the 'pro-Japanese descendant' label, and SBS still needs to consider subsequent risks.
Source: Apple Online News