"My face, a group of people in their 70s"..Stacey Si-eun's "Seopyeonje" side said, "I have no position" over the controversy over preferential treatment [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

After the musical "Seopyeonje" announced its casting lineup, it was embroiled in a controversy that it gave preferential treatment to Sieun, a member of the group StayC.

On the 2nd, performance producer PAGE1 unveiled the casting of the 2026 season of "Seopyeonje." The musical "Seopyeonje," based on Lee Chung-joon's short story "Seopyeonje," follows the nomad and choice of a singer's family, and depicts the process of sound enduring a person's life and eventually sublimating into art.

Lee Ja-ram, Cha Ji-yeon, Lee Bom-sori, and Si-eun, who appeared in the premiere, were cast in the role of Song Hwa, an artist who confronts the path and destiny he wants to go. Si-eun will make her musical debut with "Seopyeonje."

The controversial part is Si-eun's role, in which Shin plays only Song Hwa when she was young, and the role of Song Hwa in the old age is played by singer Jung Eun-hye. Controversy arose over casting preferential treatment in that the composition of such pairs of Songhwa stations in their 20s and Songhwa stations in their 70s applies only to the poetry episode, and that there has been no such case in the "Seopyeonje," which has been performed since 2010.

In this regard, the production company said, "We have sought to expand the casting landscape of 'Seopyeonje' in a more open way from this year and expand the scope of the composition so that young and potential actors can more actively challenge the work," adding, "It is not just a casting addition, but a productive choice to convey the depth of Song Hwa's later life and the emotion of the finale more clearly."

Later, on the global fan communication platform, Si-eun said, "It's a shame that Si-eun can't play Song-hwa in her old age because she's young," and added, "It's a little too much to play the role of Song-hwa in her 70s with my face. There might be a sense of separation. I'm said to be the youngest Song Hwa. I think it's a burden in many ways," he said.

Si-eun's remarks seem to have sparked controversy. Some audiences who have previously watched "Seopyeonje" point out that the process of the main character Song Hwa's growth over time is the core of the musical, and there are voices expressing discomfort over Si-eun's remarks that "it is a little too much to play the role of a 70s with my face." In addition, considering that Cha Ji-yeon was in her 20s at the time of the premiere, it is pointed out that Si-eun's fair composition is not suitable in terms of equity.

Amid the overheating controversy, the production company told Star News on the 4th, "There is nothing different from the previous announcement and there is no additional position."

Meanwhile, "Seopyeonje" will be performed at the BBCH Hall of the Gwanglim Art Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul from April 30 to July 19.

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*This content was translated by AI.