Actor Song Il-kook Reflects on Sacrifices of Independence Activists Amid Ha Young's Pro-Japanese Controversy

South Korean actress Ha Young (하영) recently became embroiled in controversy regarding her great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho's (안상호) alleged pro-Japanese activities. As the issue escalated, past controversies involving her grandfather and her mother's previous remarks about having "200 million won in a safe" during an interview also resurfaced, sparking further public discussion. Amidst this, actor Song Il-kook (송일국), the great-grandson of Korean independence activist General Kim Chwa-chin (김좌진), has seen his past comments about the plight of independence heroes' descendants recirculate, drawing significant attention.

In May, Song Il-kook appeared on MBN's program Kim Ju-ha's Day&Night, where he discussed his sense of responsibility as a descendant of an independence hero and his family's journey. During the show, the host asked Song if his three sons understood the importance of their ancestors. He admitted, "They don't quite understand yet. To be honest, even I only truly grasped the meaning of these things after I turned 30."

Song Il-kook revealed that his family constantly reminded him from a young age: "At the very least, don't do anything that would shame your grandfather (Kim Chwa-chin)." He now tells the same to his three sons, explaining, "I can't help it, because there's a line we can't cross. I tell them, 'If you do something wrong, five generations will be affected.'" He chuckled, noting that his family lineage, including General Kim Chwa-chin, his grandfather Kim Du-han (김두한), his mother Kim Eul-dong (김을동), and himself, has always been under public scrutiny. "And my mother is also a high-ranking public official," he added, making his children's every move particularly noticeable.