"Regret over withdrawing complaint against Kim Ho-young": Ok Ju-hyun summons herself into the spotlight with 'Ok-jangpan' controversy [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

Musical actress Ok Ju-hyun, formerly of the group Finkle, has once again brought up the so-called "Ok-jangpan" controversy, placing herself at the center of public attention.

On the 6th, through her fan communication platform Bubble, Ok Ju-hyun stated, "I had tried to forget the term 'Ok-jangpan,' but it brings out laughter," directly referencing the past controversy.

She added, "I was told that Kim Ho-young said, 'Thank you for withdrawing the lawsuit. However, I never intended to target you (Ok Ju-hyun),' and explained that the post was made to promote a carpet sold by his friend's father." She also revealed, "I have not received an apology."

Furthermore, Ok Ju-hyun claimed that she suffered damage to her advertising contracts due to the controversy. She explained, "After each performance, I had to go daily to the headquarters of brands for meetings. If I did not prove my innocence, I would have to pay triple the penalty fee. To prove my innocence, I had no choice but to file a lawsuit."

The "Ok-jangpan" controversy mentioned by Ok Ju-hyun originated in 2022 during the 10th-anniversary performance of the musical "Elisabeth," when suspicions arose about nepotistic casting. Musical actor Kim Ho-young posted on his social media, "Asari-jangpan is a thing of the past. Now it's Ok-jangpan." Some speculated that this post was aimed at Ok Ju-hyun.

In response, Ok Ju-hyun stated, "I am preparing to file lawsuits against those who fueled rude speculation and subsequent articles," and filed a defamation lawsuit against Kim Ho-young. On the other hand, Kim Ho-young's side expressed regret, saying, "It is regrettable that (Ok Ju-hyun) did not verify facts with the relevant parties or Kim Ho-young, thereby damaging the reputation of the actor." Additionally, an explanation followed stating that the post was not intended to target Ok Ju-hyun but was made to promote a carpet sold by an acquaintance's father.

As the situation escalated, prominent actors in the musical industry released statements. Ok Ju-hyun then said, "I realized I was not careful during the process of addressing the suspicions surrounding me and clarifying them," and withdrew her lawsuit.

Although four years have passed since the incident was resolved, Ok Ju-hyun has once again brought up the "Ok-jangpan" controversy to voice her sense of injustice. While netizens are debating the issue, some are casting doubtful glances at Ok Ju-hyun.

In fact, looking back at the time when the "Ok-jangpan" controversy arose, during the 2022 musical "Elisabeth," Ok Ju-hyun performed 73 times while Lee Ji-hye performed 22 times, showing a significant gap in performance frequency with a ratio of 7 to 3. When controversy erupted over Ok Ju-hyun monopolizing the stage, EMK Company, the producer of "Elisabeth," dismissed the issue by stating, "Casting for 'Elisabeth,' including lead and supporting actors as well as ensemble members, cannot be done without final approval from the original rights holder."

Additionally, in the early part of this year's musical "Anna Karenina," Ok Ju-hyun, Lee Ji-hye, and Kim So-hyang were triple-cast in the lead role of Anna, appearing 23, 8, and 7 times respectively, sparking another controversy over the concentration of performance frequency on Ok Ju-hyun.

While casting and allocation of performance frequencies are within the authority of the original rights holder and production company, Ok Ju-hyun's recent appeal has failed to garner much sympathy, as she continues to be caught in similar controversies.

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*This content was translated by AI.