[Dispatch=Reporter Lee Ajin] Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger personally investigated his father's past as a Nazi party member. He even requested an investigation from a Nazi war crimes tracking organization. However, he did not find evidence that his father directly participated in war crimes.

That said, he did not grant his father a pardon for his past. When Russia invaded Ukraine, he brought up his family history. He appealed, saying "my father, who served as a Nazi German soldier, was physically and mentally destroyed," urging others not to follow the same path.

Audrey Hepburn also drew a line between herself and her family's wrongdoings. Her parents supported fascism in the 1930s, but Hepburn criticized this. Benedict Cumberbatch appeared in films such as "Amazing Grace" and "12 Years a Slave," reflecting on his family history of accumulating wealth through slave labor.

These actors did not bear their ancestors' sins in their stead. However, they neither hid nor turned away from them. They looked their ancestors' wrongs directly in the face and criticized them in their own ways. This is why their actions after learning the truth stand out more.

What about O.de's choice? The way he approached his family history was complacent. He exploited his great-grandfather and grandfather in a spoon viral. He boasted that "my great-grandfather treated King Gojong" and that he would "work hard so as not to fall short" (rather, boasted about it).

Could O.de not have recognized that distinguished (?) great-grandfather himself? If you search the name Ahn Sang-ho, you can easily find his pro-Japanese collaborationist activities. This is not something that can be dismissed with merely an excuse of "not knowing."

Of course, Ahn Sang-ho's life contained both light and shadow. He was an elite doctor of the Korean Empire. He studied medicine in Japan as a state-funded exchange student. After returning to the country, he served as physician to the Imperial Household and assisted Prince Uiyeong.

O.de's father emphasized this part. "I heard that my grandfather always kept Prince Uiyeong close by his side. That's why I didn't think he could be involved in pro-Japanese collaboration controversy," he said. Because he served a person with strong anti-Japanese sentiment, he could not suspect him.

However, after the Annexation of Korea, Ahn Sang-ho complied with Japanese imperial rule. He assisted in the treatment of Yi Wan-yong, appeared on the list of preparation committee members for Ito Hirobumi's national memorial service and inaugural members of the Seoul City Council. He also served as a councilor of the Taisho Friendship Association. He married a Japanese woman and was promoted as an exemplary case of assimilation between Japan and Korea.

The disappointment with O.de does not stem from being a descendant of a pro-Japanese collaborator. The public does not hold the sins of ancestors against their descendants. It is also well known that one cannot choose one's parents. In other words, the ancestor's pro-Japanese collaboration is a matter unrelated to O.de's will.

The problem is O.de's complacent attitude. If he intended to boast about his family history before the public, he should have at least properly confirmed what he was boasting about. The ignorance of "I didn't know" does not exempt one from the responsibility of verification.

In his apology statement, O.de promised, "I will study history properly, and maintain respect for those who worked for independence. I will show it through action." Now that he knows, he should act. It is hoped that his commitment will be diligent.

<Photos=Dispatch DB, Instagram, "Rooftop Problemchildren" capture>