SEOUL – South Korean actress Ahn Ha-young will not return for follow-up seasons of The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, following recent controversy surrounding her great-grandfather’s activities during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea, Netflix confirmed on Sept 1.

The actress had reportedly recently expressed her wish to step away from the franchise.

“Out of respect for the actor’s position, Ahn Ha-young will not be appearing in the follow-up to The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call,” a Netflix spokesperson told The Korea Herald on Sept 1.

The South Korean medical drama quickly became a global hit after its January 2025 Netflix debut, topping the platform’s charts in more than 26 countries. Riding on the series’ strong performance, second and third seasons were reportedly planned.

In the first season, Ahn portrayed Jang-mi, a veteran nurse working on the hospital’s severe trauma team. Her character was one of three main figures, sharing the spotlight with the popular trauma surgeon Baek Gang-hyeok (Ju Ji-hoon) and his sidekick, Yang Jae-won (Choo Young-woo).

In August, Ahn became the subject of intense backlash from the South Korean public after it emerged that she had spoken proudly about her family heritage, including her great-grandfather, on multiple broadcasts.

According to historical records, her great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho, a doctor who was active during the Japanese colonial period.

Historical records subsequently confirmed that Ahn Sang-ho served as a council member of the Daejeong Friendship Association, an organisation founded in 1916 whose leadership included figures associated with Japan’s colonial government.

As public criticism mounted, Ahn addressed the controversy in a handwritten apology shared on social media on Aug 12.

She said her understanding of her great-grandfather’s life had been limited to accounts passed down within her family, which had led her to speak about him on several occasions without fully underst...