Ok Joo-hyun Revives 'Ok-Jang-Pan' Controversy: "Unfair" vs. "Stirring Up Trouble"

Musical theater actress Ok Joo-hyun has reignited the controversy surrounding the so-called 'Ok-Jang-Pan incident' from three years ago, sparking divided reactions among netizens.

During her appearance on Channel A's '4-Person Table' broadcast on the 8th, Ok Joo-hyun recalled moments when her capabilities in the musical theater world were questioned, directly addressing the casting controversy for the 2022 musical 'Elizabeth'.

At the time, Ok Joo-hyun was double-cast with her student, Lee Ji-hye, and her close acquaintance, Gil Byeong-min, also joined the production. This led to suspicions of favoritism, with accusations that Ok Joo-hyun's influence was involved. The situation escalated when actor Kim Ho-young posted a cryptic message, likening the current situation to 'Ok-Jang-Pan' instead of the old saying 'Asari-pan' (a chaotic situation), ultimately leading to an unprecedented lawsuit between actors in the same industry. The incident was seemingly resolved after senior musical actors released a plea, Ok Joo-hyun apologized and dropped the lawsuit, and a reconciliation call with Kim Ho-young took place.

Despite this, Ok Joo-hyun expressed her lingering feelings of injustice on the recent broadcast, stating, "I didn't recommend anyone; I merely helped my junior colleague perform well." She explained, "I didn't contact Ji-hye after the controversy because we weren't okay, knowing each other's feelings." She clarified that her role was to guide Lee Ji-hye to learn and perform well, not just for 'Elizabeth' but for her overall development as an actress. "I learned things I didn't know from junior Lee Ji-hye; we just shared our knowledge," she added. Ok Joo-hyun emphasized that Lee Ji-hye had sufficiently studied and was unanimously selected as the female lead. "Because I was confident in myself, the controversy didn't seem like a big deal. But things blew up," she remarked.

The public's reaction to these statements has been sharply divided. Some netizens expressed discomfort, commenting, "She's bringing up something that should have stayed buried and creating unnecessary trouble," and "It's unwise to bring up an issue that was already apologized for and concluded." Conversely, others showed empathy, stating, "She must have felt so frustrated and wronged for it to still linger," and "She probably needed a chance to explain herself directly."

Ok Joo-hyun debuted in 1998 as a member of the popular K-pop girl group Fin.K.L., quickly gaining recognition for her powerful vocals. She transitioned to musical theater and has since starred in numerous acclaimed productions like 'Rebecca', 'The Phantom of the Opera', and 'Elisabeth', establishing herself as a leading musical actress for over two decades. Beyond her stage career, she has also released solo music and appeared on various variety shows.