K-Drama Star Ha Young Steps Away From 'The Trauma Code' Sequel

Korean actress Ha Young has stepped away from the second season of Netflix medical drama "The Trauma Code" (Jungjeungoesangsenteo), a decision that now puts pressure on the SBS drama "Winnable" (Seungsan Isseumnida), where filming is already well underway.

Netflix and Ha Young's agency confirmed her departure on the 1st. In a joint statement, the two sides said they had "decided that she will not appear in the project out of respect for the actress's wishes." The announcement came about three weeks after a controversy erupted last month over pro-Japanese collaboration by the actress's great-grandfather during the colonial era.

Ha Young rose to wider recognition with the first season of "The Trauma Code," which arrived on Netflix in January of last year. She played Cheon Jang-mi, a nurse on the trauma team, and was set to return for the sequel on the strength of the show's success. On the 27th of last month, one outlet reported that she was preparing not only for Season 2 but also for a planned Season 3, which reignited debate about whether she would remain on the project. Six days later, her exit was made official.

Filming for "The Trauma Code" Season 2 has not yet begun. Because none of her scenes had been shot, her departure does not require scrapping existing footage or reshooting scenes with other cast members.

"Winnable" is a different story. By the 10th of last month, when the controversy over her great-grandfather first surfaced, the production had already filmed a significant portion of the drama. Ha Young leads the series alongside actor Lee Je-hoon. The show is scheduled to air on SBS, with Studio S and Artist Studio attached as producers.

When a lead actor's status is in question on a project that has already been shooting for weeks, the decision cannot rest on the performer alone. A large volume of footage exists. Sizable budget and time have already gone in. Schedules for co-stars and crew, along with the positions of the production company and broadcaster, all factor into what happens next.

The production is said to be reeling. According to a broadcasting source, the Studio S team has been thrown into disarray by the situation. Serious discussion is needed on how to handle the existing footage and whether to adjust Ha Young's scenes. SBS told TenAsia on the 1st that "the production team and the broadcaster take the current situation very seriously, and we are carefully reviewing the direction of the project from multiple angles with the parties involved."

Ha Young continued to report to set even after the controversy broke. On the 13th of last month, she reportedly cried during filming, took a break of several hours, then returned to finish the day's scenes. Production on "Winnable" has continued in the weeks since.

The controversy grew out of a mismatch between her public image and her family history. Ha Young had repeatedly described her family on television and in interviews as "a family of doctors going back four generations." Reports then surfaced about the pro-Japanese activities of her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho. Her agency initially responded on the 10th of last month by calling the allegations "groundless," but reversed course a day later after confirming that his name appeared on the roster of the Daejeong Chinmokhoe, a pro-Japanese social organization from the colonial period. Ha Young herself apologized, saying she had "spoken about my great-grandfather as a point of family pride without knowing the full story."

The timing has been especially difficult. Ha Young had just taken her first straight dramatic lead in "This Damn Love" (Ireon Yeotgateun Sarang), released last month, with "Winnable" and the next season of "The Trauma Code" lined up after it. With Season 2 now off the table, the shape of her career going forward is set to change.

Attention now turns to "Winnable." Unlike "The Trauma Code," which had not started shooting, this project is deep enough into production that any decision about Ha Young's role carries real consequences for the network and the studio. Whether she will step away from the drama or continue in the role has not been decided. With no other projects announced, how she resolves the situation around "Winnable" will shape what her next chapter as an actress looks like.