Ok Joo-hyun asks Kim Ho-young directly, "If 'okjangpan' was not aimed at me, why did everyone think of me?" [Full text]

[Sportschosun Kim Sohee] Ok Joo-hyun, a musical actress and former member of Fin.K.L, has directly addressed the so-called 'okjangpan' controversy, opening up about the misunderstandings and hurt that have lingered for years.

In the early hours of the 8th, Ok Joo-hyun posted a lengthy message on her SNS, saying, "It took me a long time to write this."

She began cautiously, saying, "Some of you may think this is already in the past, and others may wonder why I am bringing it up again now. For a long time, I thought the best thing to do was to stay silent and act as if I were fine."

She continued, "I have explained my position through several interviews and articles. But I felt that what I had to go through during that time, and why I had no choice but to say those things, was never properly conveyed." She added, "At the time, I withdrew the lawsuit because I did not want to make the controversy any bigger."

She also said she heard Kim Ho-young's explanation that he had "never once targeted his older sister" and that it was "a post written to promote his friend's father's flooring business." Ok Joo-hyun said, "After hearing that explanation, I decided not to talk about the issue anymore. But even as time passed, that frame did not disappear."

She said, "Even so, I stayed silent because I did not want to cause harm to the production, the company, or my fellow cast members."

She also explained why she brought up the incident again after four years. "I am not currently affiliated with any production or any company," she said. "I thought this was the right time to speak solely as Ok Joo-hyun the actress."

"Today, I want to speak for myself," she said. "For many years in musical theater, I have endured and done my best to show the strongest effort and the best performance I could."

Ok Joo-hyun said, "But the frame called 'okjangpan,' which began with one person's words, became a nickname attached to my name, and I had to endure the suspicion, ridicule, and criticism it created for a long time afterward."

She added, "It did not end as a simple joke or a passing incident. It had a real impact on my image, advertisements, and work. Even when choosing projects or stepping away from them, I had to worry whether that frame would burden other people as well."

"In the end, I even decided to step down from a production for everyone's sake," she explained. "I did not want to cause any further harm to the show."

Ok Joo-hyun said, "During that process, I felt bitter about being part of the musical theater world, and that is why I opened up to my fans." She emphasized, "That was a separate issue from professionalism."

She said, "For some people, this may be an old story that has simply become tiring. But for me, it was something that left deep wounds on my life and career as an actress."

She continued, "What I want is not a simple emotional fight. I only want to ask why so many people thought of me if those words were never really meant for me, and why the damage and pain that followed were never once explained to the public."

Ok Joo-hyun added, "I also had moments when I was not emotionally careful, and I am reflecting on that."

She said, "I hope my name will no longer be used as a joke through 'okjangpan.' I only ask that people understand this was not just a nickname or a meme, but something that truly affected one actress's life, stage, and career."

In closing, Ok Joo-hyun said, "I want to continue being judged as an actress on stage." She added, "This letter is me finally speaking in my own voice about what I have not been able to say until now."

Meanwhile, the so-called 'okjangpan' incident Ok Joo-hyun referred to began in June 2022, when suspicions of nepotism in the casting of the musical Elisabeth were raised.

At the time, Kim Ho-young posted on SNS, "A saripan is an old term. Now it's okjangpan." Some online users interpreted it as a remark aimed at Ok Joo-hyun, and the controversy spread.

Later, Ok Joo-hyun and EMK Musical Company denied the allegations, and Ok Joo-hyun filed a defamation complaint against Kim Ho-young.

As the dispute grew, Kim Ho-young explained that the post was not directed at Ok Joo-hyun, but was written to promote a flooring business run by a friend's father. The two sides later settled the legal dispute, and Ok Joo-hyun withdrew the complaint.

The following is Ok Joo-hyun's full statement.

It took me a long time to write this.

Some of you may think this is already in the past, and others may wonder why I am bringing it up again now.

For a long time, I thought the best thing to do was to stay silent and act as if I were fine.

I have explained my position through several interviews and articles. But I felt that what I had to go through during that time, and why I had no choice but to say those things, was never properly conveyed.

At the time, I withdrew the lawsuit because I did not want to make the controversy any bigger.

And after hearing the explanation that he had "never once targeted his older sister" and that it was "a post written to promote his friend's father's flooring business," I decided not to talk about the issue anymore.

But even as time passed, that frame did not disappear.

Even so, I stayed silent because I did not want to cause harm to the production, the company, or my fellow cast members.

I am not currently affiliated with any production or any company. I thought this was the right time to speak solely as Ok Joo-hyun the actress.

So today, I want to speak for myself.

For many years in musical theater, I have endured and done my best to show the strongest effort and the best performance I could.

But the frame called 'okjangpan,' which began with one person's words, became a nickname attached to my name, and I had to endure the suspicion, ridicule, and criticism it created for a long time afterward.

It did not end as a simple joke or a passing incident. It had a real impact on my image, advertisements, and work. Even when choosing projects or stepping away from them, I had to worry whether that frame would burden other people as well.

In the end, I even decided to step down from a production for everyone's sake. I did not want to cause any further harm to the show.

During that process, I felt bitter about being part of the musical theater world, and that is why I opened up to my fans.

That was a separate issue from professionalism.

For some people, this may be an old story that has simply become tiring.

But for me, it was something that left deep wounds on my life and career as an actress.

What I want is not a simple emotional fight.

I only want to ask why so many people thought of me if those words were never really meant for me.

And I want to ask why the damage and pain that followed were never once explained to the public.

I also had moments when I was not emotionally careful, and I am reflecting on that.

I hope my name will no longer be used as a joke through 'okjangpan.'

I only ask that people understand this was not just a nickname or a meme, but something that truly affected one actress's life, stage, and career. I want to continue being judged as an actress on stage.

And this letter is me finally speaking in my own voice about what I have not been able to say until now.