[Sportschosun reporter Kim Jun-seok] Musical actress Ock Joo-hyun, who criticized fellow musical actor Kim Ho-young over the controversy surrounding the so-called "Okjangpan" issue four years ago, has once again taken aim, saying, "Whether it is an excuse or the truth, he should at least explain himself honestly once."
In an interview with Xports News on the 7th, Ock said, "Kim Ho-young has been in the musical industry longer than I have, and he is someone who loves musicals," adding, "As the person who caused this uproar, I think he needs to explain himself honestly at least once, whether it is an excuse or the truth."
She continued, "For many years, I have tried to do my best and deliver my best performance in the musical genre. But in an instant, I was trapped in the 'Okjangpan' frame, and every production I worked on became controversial."
Through a fan communication platform, Ock recently brought up the 2022 "Okjangpan" controversy again, saying, "For several years, the word 'Okjangpan' followed every article headline about me."
She said the commercial she had filmed at the time was scrapped after just five days, and that she suffered significant losses, including having to pay triple the penalty fee.
She also said, "I was in so much pain because of the 'Okjangpan' image that should never have been attached to me. Not a single moment was okay." She added, "My junior Lee Ji-hye was also cast based on her talent, but she was not congratulated and spent the night in tears. It was even harder to watch that."
She explained, "The production company must also struggle when attention shifts to something other than the work itself. For four years, every time I joined a production, it ended up causing damage to the production team." She added, "I decided not to appear in the production opening next month so that the work could begin without controversy caused by me, for everyone's sake."
The "Okjangpan" controversy began in 2022 amid noise over musical casting. At the time, Kim posted on his social networking service (SNS), "Asari-pan is an old term. Now it is Okjangpan," and some interpreted the post as a jab at Ock. Ock's side later filed a defamation complaint against Kim, but withdrew it afterward. Kim's agency said at the time that both sides had reconciled amicably.
narusi@sportschosun.com
