Ok Joo-hyun Takes Another Stand After Criticizing Auto-Tune: "Son Seung-yeon's Stadium Live Performance Should Keep Being Talked About"

[Sportschosun, Reporter Lee Ji-hyun] Singer and musical actress Ok Joo-hyun, who recently strongly criticized some singers' use of Auto-Tune and post-production, has once again emphasized the value of live performance with a pointed social media post.

On the 6th, Ok Joo-hyun shared a video of soprano Hera Hyesang Park's performance and wrote, "The time an artist spends singing to deliver deep emotion and beauty while performing a once-in-a-lifetime moment must be beyond imagination."

She added, "The beauty that allows an artist to perform at their best, stay immersed, and enjoy themselves in any stage environment is truly remarkable."

She also stressed, "We should not hold the stereotype that this is only natural because it is classical music," and added, "Even in the poor sound conditions of an outdoor baseball stadium, precious moments like Son Seung-yeon's golden live performance, which went beyond perfection, should continue to be remembered."

Her remarks drew renewed attention because they came after she recently voiced her views on live singing through the fan communication platform Bubble, saying, "These days, when I see people performing live with post-production even though they can barely sing, it makes me feel bad."

Ok Joo-hyun said bluntly, "There needs to be study and improvement in live performance. But when Auto-Tune is used to smooth out things that are honestly 'unfit to be on air,' it really makes me angry." She continued, "I do not even want to sit at the same table with them on a program. It may sound like a very rude remark, but it is the truth. These days, when I see post-production, I think, 'Anyone and everyone is coming out here to sing.'"

She also emphasized, "We should not let the strange idea grow that you can have a singing career even if you cannot sing. We need to cut it off at the root." She added, "People who need to know already know, even if I do not say it. Once post-production goes beyond a reasonable level, that is fraud." She said, "At the very least, I have never performed with lip-sync in any production."

Meanwhile, Ok Joo-hyun debuted in 1998 as the main vocalist of Fin.K.L. and earned recognition for her outstanding singing ability. She later expanded her career into musical theater, taking leading roles in productions such as Aida, Chicago, Rebecca (musical), Wicked, and Anna Karenina, and established herself as one of South Korea's leading musical actresses.

olzllovely@sportschosun.com