Kim Young-ok Recalls Colonial Childhood Amid Heo Young's Family Controversy

Actress Kim Young-ok (김영옥) recently recounted her turbulent childhood experiences, discussing the Japanese colonial period and the outbreak of the Korean War. Her remarks have garnered significant attention.

On September 1, the 89-year-old Kim Young-ok appeared as a guest on MBC's program “Playlist 109,” where she shared her personal history from Korea's modern era.

During the show, host DinDin asked Kim Young-ok, “When was the hardest time in your life? Was it during the Korean War?” Kim Young-ok replied, “I was young during the Korean War, so I didn't truly understand hardship, but seeing my parents suffer so much broke my heart.” She then recalled the moment Japanese colonial rule ended: “Everyone was celebrating the August 15th Liberation Day like crazy. I was 8 years old when liberation came.”

Kim Young-ok stated that the entire nation was immersed in the joy of liberation, and she still vividly remembers the scene: “People were living their lives, and then suddenly heard the news of liberation; everyone was incredibly happy. On Liberation Day, I remember seeing people holding national flags and shouting 'Manse!' I remember everything.”

However, the joy of liberation did not last long. Kim Young-ok lamented, “Later, the two Koreas were suddenly divided, and the Korean War broke out five years after liberation. After experiencing those events, it was truly difficult.” She also recalled the years when the war plunged everyone into hardship.

Meanwhile, actress Heo Young's (허영) great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho (안상호), has recently been embroiled in a “pro-Japanese controversy.” On August 30, Korean media revealed that Ahn Sang-ho was previously suspected of involvement in the “Gojong poisoning theory,” with related content even recorded in official Korean local historical documents. This context has drawn renewed attention to Kim Young-ok's statements about the Japanese colonial period.

As the controversy continues to escalate, not only have Heo Young's family's past controversies been unearthed, but she has also been asked to withdraw from a new drama, with some netizens even calling for a complete ban on her entertainment activities. Yesterday morning, September 1, Korean media outlet MyDaily reported that Heo Young has confirmed her withdrawal from the new season of the popular Netflix series “Trauma Center: D.P.R.T.”