"Not a Hero but a Terrorist" Japanese Netizens Flood SNS with Hate Comments After Posting Ahn Jung-geun's Photo

Han: "Japan's Atrocities, Sad but True" Candid Statement

Han So-hee, an actress who appeared in the Netflix original series 'Gyeongseong Creature,' posted a photo of independence activist Ahn Jung-geun on her social media (SNS), which led to some Japanese netizens flooding her with malicious comments.

On the 24th, Han So-hee said in a post on her Instagram, "Not the romance of Gyeongseong, not the creature of the Japanese colonial period, but the story of people from that brilliant yet dark time who faced monsters born from experiments that dehumanized humans. That spring when only by embracing each other with love could they become strong."

This was an introduction to 'Gyeongseong Creature,' which was released on the 22nd. The series depicts the story of two youths whose survival was everything in the spring of 1945, the final days of the Japanese colonial period, as they confront monsters born out of greed.

A photo of An Jung-geun posted on actress Han So-hee's Instagram
[Image source=Captured from Han So-hee's Instagram]

In this work, Han So-hee played the role of 'Yoon Chae-ok,' a todukkun (body searcher) rumored to even find the dead. In the drama, Koreans are taken away without knowing why and subjected to Maruta live experiments at Ongseong Hospital, turning into creatures. This evokes the inhumane biological experiments conducted by the Japanese Kwantung Army's biochemical unit known as Unit 731, infamous as the 'Maruta Unit.'

Han So-hee also posted eight photos along with this post. The first photo she posted was a large image of independence activist Ahn Jung-geun, who assassinated Ito Hirobumi at Harbin Station in 1909. Besides Ahn's photo, Han So-hee shared several scenes from 'Gyeongseong Creature,' including images of bodies piled up in a horrific state, and scenes of torture inflicted by the Japanese.

Netflix series 'Gyeongseong Creature' poster
[Image source: Provided by Netflix]

As of the 25th, this post has received over 1.24 million likes and about 4,200 comments. Most netizens left supportive comments such as "Thank you for giving a good influence as an actor," "Thank you for making a great work," and "Proud of you," expressing their appreciation for the series and support for the actress.

However, some Japanese netizens left comments in Japanese with strong reactions like "I was a fan of Han So-hee, but now I have to say goodbye," "You did not consider the feelings of Japanese people," and "Ahn Jung-geun is not a hero but a terrorist."

One Japanese netizen said, "(I) want to watch (Gyeongseong Creature), but as a Japanese person, it takes some courage. Honestly, this comment is very sad as a fan," to which Han So-hee replied directly, "It's sad but true. Still, thank you for having the courage."

Occasionally, some Japanese people expressed their honest opinions, such as "I am Japanese, but I think this is history that must be acknowledged," and "Japanese people should go to the countries that suffered, not just Japan, and see the history."

'Gyeongseong Creature' released its seven-episode Part 1 on the 22nd, and Part 2 is scheduled for release on the 5th of next month.