[Sportschosun reporter Jung An-ji] Musical actress Ock Joo-hyun has broken her silence after four years and spoken out forcefully about the so-called 'Ockjangpan' controversy, one of the most damaging disputes surrounding her. As a result, attention in the entertainment industry has once again turned to musical actor Kim Ho-young.
On the 8th, Ock Joo-hyun posted a lengthy message on her social media account and laid bare the feelings she had kept hidden for years.
Ock Joo-hyun said, "I thought staying silent and pretending I was fine was the best choice, but the 'Ockjangpan' frame never disappeared. It became a label attached to my name, and for a long time I had to endure the suspicions, ridicule, and criticism it created." She revealed the severe emotional pain she had suffered.
Back in 2022, during the casting controversy for the musical Elisabeth, Kim Ho-young posted on social media, "Asaripan is an old term. Now it's Ockjangpan." The post was widely interpreted as being aimed at Ock Joo-hyun.
As the controversy grew, Ock Joo-hyun and the production company for Elisabeth, EMK Musical Company, denied the related allegations. Ock Joo-hyun then filed a defamation complaint against Kim Ho-young. She later withdrew the complaint, but the 'Ockjangpan' frame against her did not disappear.
Ock Joo-hyun explained that she withdrew the complaint at the time because she "did not want to make the controversy any bigger." She also said she let the matter go after hearing Kim Ho-young's side say, "I never once targeted my older sister," and "I posted it to promote my friend's father's Ockjangpan."
However, the public's 'Ockjangpan' frame did not go away. Ock Joo-hyun said it not only damaged her image, but also seriously hurt her advertising and performance activities, eventually forcing her to step down from a production.
She directly expressed her doubts about Kim Ho-young's explanation, saying, "If those words were truly not directed at me, then I want to ask why so many people thought of me, and why the damage and pain caused by that were never explained to the public even once."
Ock Joo-hyun added, "I hope my name will no longer be used as a joke through the word 'Ockjangpan.'"
As the bad blood between the two, which once escalated into legal disputes in the musical world and shook the entertainment industry, has resurfaced, attention is now focused on whether Kim Ho-young, who is reportedly staying overseas, will respond.
anjee85@sportschosun.com
