The casting breakdown for the musical "Anna Karenina", starring Ock Joo-hyun, is sparking fresh debate among theater fans.
According to the five-week performance schedule released by the producers, three actors―Ock Joo-hyun, Lee Ji-hye, and Kim So-hyang―will share a total of 38 performances in the title role of Anna.
The flashpoint: Ock is slated for 25 shows, accounting for more than half of the run. Lee will appear in eight performances and Kim in seven. With both of their dates combined still falling short of Ock’s tally, fans are calling out what they see as an uneven split.
Some theatergoers concede the decision may be a business move, banking on Ock’s box-office pull for a premium-priced production. Others say the situation carries deja vu from her 2022 turn in "Elisabeth," when a casting dust-up dominated headlines.
Back then, theater actor Kim Ho-young posted a pointed message widely read as a jab at Ock’s influence over casting; Ock filed a defamation complaint in response, then withdrew it as the controversy snowballed.
Amid the chatter this time, Kim So-hyang took to social media with a moody night photo and a caption loosely meaning “I have a lot to say, but I won’t,” fueling speculation she was hinting at frustrations over the split between matinee and evening performances.
"Anna Karenina" returns to the stage for the first time in seven years, featuring Jung Seung-won, Moon Yu-gang, Yoon Hyung-ryeol, Min Young-ki, and more.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)