[Edaily Starin, Reporter Gim Ga Yeong ] The drama production industry is facing growing concerns due to a series of scandals involving actors. Before the controversy over actor Ha Young’s great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, and his alleged pro-Japanese activities had even subsided, actor Hong Min-ki became embroiled in allegations of dating violence, raising further concerns about the projects in which he appears.

Recently, Ms. A, Hong Min-ki’s ex-girlfriend, claimed on social media that she had been a victim of dating violence at his hands. She also exposed character issues, alleging that Hong Min-ki routinely belittled industry colleagues and fans. Hong Min-ki’s agency stated that “this is not true” and announced its intention to file a complaint for stalking, citing Ms. A’s actions—such as visiting him after their breakup.
As soon as Hong Min-ki’s side issued a rebuttal, Ms. A revealed ultrasound images and other evidence, claiming she had been pregnant and forced to have an abortion. Hong Min-ki’s side maintains that this is also untrue. As the battle over the truth between the two sides intensifies, attention is also turning to his upcoming project, TVING’s “Study Group Season 2.” He did not attend the wrap party scheduled for the 19th, the day the allegations first surfaced. Given the intensity of the current controversy, there are growing concerns about whether the projects in which he appears should be released before the controversy is resolved.
Previously, Ha Young also faced repercussions for her work when details of her great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho’s pro-Japanese activities were revealed, leading to calls for her to withdraw from the SBS drama *We Have a Chance*, which she was filming at the time. In particular, as she has been facing criticism for several days, the emotional strain was significant; it was reported that she even broke down in tears on set, and details such as her taking a break have been made public, placing her under considerable pressure. With attention focused more on issues related to the actors than on the quality of the production itself, concerns are mounting within the industry about whether the show will be properly received by viewers.
An official from a production company confided, “It is difficult to verify an actor’s personal or family matters in advance,” adding, “It is a difficult situation for the production company when such facts come to light after a significant portion of filming has already been completed.”
Another official expressed concern, saying, “Currently, two productions are drawing public attention due to controversies surrounding the actors,” and added, “The production costs for these two projects alone are estimated to reach tens of billions of won; if both productions suffer setbacks, it could destabilize the industry’s ecosystem.”