Musical actor Ock Joo-hyun has revisited the so-called 'Ok-jangpan' controversy that shook the musical industry four years ago.
This marks the first time she has shared a detailed account of her feelings regarding the incident, which even escalated into a legal battle between actors.
Ock stated through her social media, "I had previously thought that remaining silent was the best course of action."
However, she added, "I suffered significant damages in my work and advertisements due to the 'Ok-jangpan' frame," and expressed her hope that "my name will no longer be consumed for the sake of mockery."
The 'Ok-jangpan' controversy began immediately after the casting announcement for the 10th-anniversary production of the musical 'Elisabeth' in 2022.
At the time, some fans raised concerns over the casting, which saw a large number of established actors excluded, and allegations of so-called 'crony casting' spread due to the fact that actors close to Ock were cast.
Amid this situation, musical actor Kim Ho-young posted a photo of a floor mat (jangpan) and a theater on his social media, along with the caption, "The term 'asari-pan' (a chaotic mess) is a thing of the past. Now it is 'Ok-jangpan'."
Interpretations that this post was aimed at Ock spread rapidly, and Ock eventually filed a defamation complaint against Kim.
However, as the controversy spread throughout the entire musical industry, she withdrew the complaint. At the time, Kim's side stated, "We spoke directly over the phone to clear up the misunderstanding and agreed not to mention it further."
Nevertheless, Ock drew a line in her recent post, stating, "I have never received an apology from Kim Ho-young."
She reflected on that time, saying, "I withdrew the complaint because I did not want to escalate the controversy any further."
She also explained, "I tried to put the matter to rest after hearing the explanation that 'it was not a jab at anyone, but a promotion for a friend's father's floor mat business.'"
She added, "If it was truly not directed at me, I want to ask why so many people thought of me, and why there has never been an explanation regarding the damages caused by that."
As Ock has spoken out again after four years, attention is being drawn back to the fact that the conflict from that time may not have been fully resolved.
Online, reactions are divided: some say it is natural for Ock to express her position considering the damages she has suffered, while others argue that the context of the casting controversy at the time must be taken into account.
As of now, Kim Ho-young's side has not released a separate statement.
This is Kang Kyung-youn from SBSi.
Reported by Kang Kyung-youn | Video by Kim Hye-ju | Graphics by Lee Jung-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
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