(L-R) Actor Kim Min-Joon, Kang Dong-Won, Seol Kyung-Ku and Festival director Kim Dong-Ho attend the closing ceremony of the 15th Pusan International Film Festival. (Photo : Getty Images/ Chung Sung-Jun / Staff)
Actor Kang Dong Won is currently embroiled in controversy after reports surfaced about his family's alleged pro-Japanese ancestry. A particular website reportedly accused the actor's great-grandfather of being pro-Japanese, an issue that is heavily frowned upon in South Korea due to the atrocities Imperial Japan's rule inflicted on the country.
The report suggested that Kang Dong Won's great-grandfather, Lee Jong Man, took part in a mining project due the Japanese colonial regime, and was included in the pro-Japanese biographical directory in 2009.
Kang Dong Won's agency, YG Entertainment, has since sought measures to take down the posts and prevent further circulation. "Currently, there is not enough information on Kang Dong Won's great-grandfather for us to deliver accurate information," Soompi quoted the agency as saying in a statement.
Following the release of the report, Kang Dong Won issued an apology and came to his great-grandfather's defense. He stated that growing up, he heard positive stories about his great-grandfather and that his grandmother was the descendant of an independence patriot. However, it was only later that he found out about the things his great-grandfather is being accused of.
"This incident was chaotic, and it was a big shock for me. Moreover, it is related to my family, and I had to figure out the accurate details about the issue, so I needed time to look into the related documents," the same publication quoted the actor as saying. He apologized for not having responded to the issue as soon as possible.
In his message, he admitted that he now knows about his great-grandfather's "shameful past," and that he will do his best to study more about history and reflect on the incident.
Meanwhile, Kang Dong Won has cancelled his upcoming activities due to the controversy. The actor was supposed to record a commentary for the movie "Vanishing Time," but the recording will be put on hold in the meantime. Although the recording would've been done in private, it was decided that Kang Dong Won would have difficult on focusing on the commentary he would give and sharing behind-the-scenes stories.
