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Korean Actress Ha Young Withdraws From ‘The Trauma Code’ Amid Pro-Japan Controversy

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • Netflix said Ha Young will not appear in the next season of “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call” after she withdrew from the series.
  • The decision followed criticism over her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, who worked as a doctor during Japan’s occupation of Korea and served on the Daejung Chinmokhoe council in 1916.
  • Ha Young apologized after discussing her family’s medical history on a KBS talk show, saying she had known little about her great-grandfather’s life.

Ha Young will not return for the next season of Netflix’s “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call,” ending her involvement in the popular medical drama after a controversy over her family history.

Netflix confirmed the decision on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, saying it respected the actress’s choice to withdraw. Ha Young played nurse Cheon Jang-mi in the first season and had been scheduled to resume filming with Ju Ji-hoon and Choo Young-woo.

Out of respect for the actress's position, Ha Young will not appear in the next season of 'The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call.'

— NetflixThe company confirmed Ha Young’s withdrawal from the upcoming season.

The controversy began after Ha Young appeared on KBS’s “Problem Child in House” on August 7 to promote her latest Netflix drama, “Our Sticky Love.” In the episode, which has since been removed, she discussed four generations of medical heritage in her family. She said her great-grandfather had studied Western medicine in Japan, become the first doctor in Korea to use Western medicine, and treated Emperor Gojong.

Ha Young did not name him during the broadcast. Korean internet users later identified him as Ahn Sang-ho, a doctor active during Japan’s occupation of Korea. His name does not appear in the Pro-Japanese Collaborators Dictionary compiled by the Institute for National Studies in 2009. However, historical records indicate that he belonged to the Daejung Chinmokhoe council in 1916, fueling criticism of the family legacy Ha Young had described.

My great-grandfather studied Western medicine in Japan and became the first doctor in Korea to use Western medicine. He also treated Emperor Gojong.

— Ha YoungShe discussed her family’s medical history during a KBS talk show appearance.
About this summary

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.