Hyukoh releases new song 'Godspeed!'... Controversy over appearance of Japanese actress Ando Sakura

The band Hyukoh released their new song ″Godspeed!″ after six years, drawing attention with Japanese actress Ando Sakura starring in the music video. On the 18th at 6 p.m., Hyukoh released the new single ″Godspeed!″ on various music streaming platforms. The song tells a story of lethargy in repetitive daily life and living life again within it. It is their first new song in about six years since the 2020 EP ″Love,″ and had raised expectations among music fans even before its release. The music video was pre-released on the 17th, a day before the song’s release. Directed by rafhoo, the video stars Japanese actress Ando Sakura, known for films such as ″Shoplifters,″ ″The Host,″ and ″Love in Back En.″ Before appearing in Hyukoh’s music video, Ando Sakura had already challenged Korean cinema through director Jung Joo-ri’s film ″Dora.″ After the music video was released, mentions of Ando Sakura’s family history circulated online. She is known as the great-granddaughter of Inukai Tsuyoshi, the 29th Prime Minister of Japan. Inukai Tsuyoshi served as Japan’s Prime Minister from 1931 to 1932 and was assassinated by naval young officers during the May 15 Incident in 1932. Inukai Tsuyoshi contributed an article titled ″How to Enlighten Korea″ to the 1896 magazine ″Nihonjin,″ which has been criticized for containing imperialistic views that placed Japanese people in commanding positions and regarded Koreans as labor forces. His son, Inukai Takeru, served as Minister of Justice. Some netizens raised concerns about the timing of the music video release shortly after Liberation Day and Ando Sakura’s family history, commenting, ″Did it have to be this actress?″, ″The release timing is too sensitive,″ and ″The historical background should have been fully considered.″ Numerous comments mentioning the controversy appeared under the music video on YouTube. Meanwhile, regarding some online expressions labeling her as a ″descendant of war criminals,″ it was also noted that Inukai Tsuyoshi was neither indicted nor punished as a war criminal at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East after World War II. Hyukoh’s agency has not issued any official statement regarding the controversy.