Musical actor and former Fin.K.L member Ok Joo-hyun has reignited the so-called "Okjangpan" controversy, drawing massive attention. Opening up about her feud with junior actor Kim Ho-young, losses tied to an ad contract, and even regret over dropping her lawsuit, she has sparked a fresh wave of debate online.
Recently, messages Ok Joo-hyun exchanged on a fan communication platform spread across online communities. On the platform, she brought up the Okjangpan incident, saying, "I had put it behind me." She claimed that because of the controversy, her diet probiotic commercial was pulled just five days after it started airing, and that she had to shuttle to the ad agency's headquarters for meetings after performances to resolve the penalty issue.
Ok said, "If I didn't prove I was not at fault, I would have had to pay three times the penalty," explaining that filing a complaint was the only option at the time. She added, "What hurt the most was that suing was the only way."
The uproar first erupted in 2022 over casting for the 10th anniversary production of the musical Elisabeth. When Lee Ji-hye, then under the same agency as Ok Joo-hyun, was cast in the lead, some alleged networking-based casting. During this, Kim Ho-young posted a photo of an electric floor mat punning on Ok's surname and an image of a theater on social media, writing, "Chaos is old news; now it's Okjangpan"—which many read as a jab at Ok.
Ok's side denied any favoritism in casting and later sued Kim for defamation. As tensions rose, veteran figures in the musical scene issued a statement urging self-reflection and unity. Ok eventually dropped the complaint and apologized.
However, in her recent messages, Ok said she now regrets withdrawing the suit. She claimed, "I never received an apology," adding that Kim thanked her for the withdrawal and insisted he had never targeted her. She also recounted Kim's explanation that his post was meant to promote flooring sold by an acquaintance's father, which she found absurd.
Ok expressed frustration that the label "Okjangpan" has stuck to her ever since. She said the advertiser also suffered damages, and she, too, was called by that moniker for a long time.
Some netizens argue Ok's recent remarks went too far. Phrases that could read as mocking Kim, and her comment about a future project—"I don't want to do it"—prompted backlash such as, "There was no need to bring this up again," and, "It's inconsiderate to fans waiting for the next show."
Others counter that if Ok felt falsely accused, she has the right to speak up even belatedly. Some noted, "It is true the explanations back then were unconvincing," and, given the sniper accusations, "the person involved could have been deeply hurt for a long time."
The Okjangpan controversy, which once shook the musical industry and seemed to have been put to rest, has resurfaced with Ok's latest revelations. Attention is now on whether this candid confession ends here—or erupts into another round of backlash.