Writer So Jae-won criticizes actor Ha Young over pro-Japanese ancestor: 'We must remember the names of traitors'

Writer So Jae-won visited the Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Seoul with his two sons on Liberation Day — five days after publicly criticizing actor Ha Young over controversy surrounding her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese collaboration.

On Saturday, So shared on his Instagram a quote from the late Kim Hak-soon, a survivor of Japan's wartime sexual slavery: "What we were forced to do must be left in the historical record."

He added: "This is why we must engrave in our hearts the great and luminous lives, spirit and teachings of independence fighters — and why we must never forget the names of those filthy pro-Japanese traitors."

So also posted a photo of a sign prohibiting photography, writing that someone had attempted to take pictures inside the execution chamber during his visit. "Photography is strictly prohibited inside the execution chamber," he wrote. "For the sake of human dignity, I hope everyone follows the rules."

So is a novelist and screenwriter whose credits include the films "Beastie Boys," "Sowon," "Tunnel" and "Air Murder," as well as the drama series "Goodbye to Goodbye."

On Friday, So mentioned actor Choi Bool-am — the son of independence fighter Choi Cheol — saying he was "the only actor I personally got involved in casting and brought on myself."

"Going forward, I'd like to get a little more involved in casting," So said. "If our country and society cannot make the descendants of independence fighters shine, then I should at least let my humble writing do that for them."

He continued: "As someone who holds a pen, I want to lead the way toward the perfectly normal change where 'families of independence fighters prosper and are respected for three generations.' That means descendants of independence fighters will appear in all my future works, without exception."

So had first spoken out on Aug. 10, targeting Ha Young amid controversy over her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities. "We now live in a world where even having a pro-Japanese ancestor is something to boast about," he wrote. "To think I'd live to see someone brag about a pro-Japanese ancestor — isn't that because our history failed to punish collaborators?"

Ha Young subsequently issued a handwritten apology, saying she "had only known fragments of her great-grandfather's life" but had since looked into the records herself and learned of his pro-Japanese conduct. "As a descendant, I sincerely apologize," she said.