Lovelyz member and actress Jeong Yein has officially joined the cast of Netflix’s hit medical drama The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call for its upcoming second and third seasons. She will take over the role of nurse Cheon Jang-mi, previously played by Ha Young, who stepped away from the series following a controversy involving her great-grandfather’s history during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea.
Netflix confirmed the casting on September 29, 2026. A representative from the streaming platform stated, “Jeong will appear in the upcoming season of ‘The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call’”. The confirmation followed weeks of industry reports that Jeong had gone through multiple auditions for the part.
Why Ha Young Left the Netflix Series
Ha Young, whose legal name is Ahn Ha-young, appeared as nurse Cheon Jang-mi in Season 1 of the medical drama. She was originally set to return for Seasons 2 and 3 alongside lead actors Ju Ji-hoon and Choo Young-woo.
The controversy began in August 2026 when Ha Young appeared on the KBS talk show Problem Child in House and spoke about her family’s medical background, mentioning that her great-grandfather had studied Western medicine in Japan. Historical records later showed that her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, was listed as a council member of the Daejeong Friendship Association, an organization founded in 1916 with leadership tied to Japan’s colonial administration of Korea.
Public criticism grew quickly. Ha Young first denied the allegations through her agency, which called the reports groundless. After reviewing historical materials herself, she reversed her position and issued a handwritten apology on August 12, saying, “While searching for the relevant materials myself, I learned of my great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese actions. I accept that fault heavily and sincerely apologize as a descendant”.
Netflix addressed her departure on September 1, 2026, stating, “Respecting the actor’s position, Ha Young will not appear in the next season of ‘The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call’”.
Following the controversy, Ha Young was also dropped from several commercial projects, including advertisements for Panasonic, clothing brand Atid, Samsung Electronics, and a public service campaign by the National Emergency Medical Center.
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Jeong Yein Takes Over as Cheon Jang-mi
Cheon Jang-mi is a veteran nurse on the severe trauma team and part of the drama’s central trio, alongside genius surgeon Baek Gang-hyeok (Ju Ji-hoon) and his protégé Yang Jae-won (Choo Young-woo). The character was well-received in Season 1, making the recasting a closely watched decision.
Jeong Yein debuted as a member of the K-pop girl group Lovelyz in 2014, known for hit songs such as Ah-Choo, Destiny, and Hi~. She began her acting career in 2017 as the younger counterpart of Moon Chae-won in the tvN drama Criminal Minds. Since then, she has appeared in projects including The Blue Sea, Na Ra the Socialite Wannabe, The Mysterious Chaebol Daughter, and Codename: Evil Stepmother.
This role marks her first time taking on a lead part in a major television drama. An industry insider noted that Jeong’s performance during the audition process was outstanding.
Fan reactions to the casting have been mixed. Online communities and social media platforms saw comments such as, “If she was chosen through auditions, she will do well” and “She suits the nurse role well,” while others expressed that Ha Young’s version of Cheon Jang-mi was hard to replace.
Filming for Seasons 2 and 3 Begins in October
Production for The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call Seasons 2 and 3 is set to begin in October 2026, with both seasons being filmed simultaneously. The original web novel’s author, Lee Nak-joon, revealed in August that pre-production for Season 2 had been completed and the team was scouting filming locations.
Ju Ji-hoon and Choo Young-woo are returning as the lead actors. Jeong Yein joins the production after participating in a script reading with the main cast held on September 29, the same day Netflix made the official announcement.
The first season of The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call premiered on January 24, 2025, and became a global hit. It topped Netflix’s non-English TV series chart in more than 26 countries and recorded 43.6 million views on the platform. The series is based on the web novel Trauma Center: Golden Hour by doctor-turned-author Lee Nak-joon.
Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more K-drama casting news and streaming updates as they happen.
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