Musical actress and singer Ok Joo Hyun drew attention by leaving a message that directly confronted the casting monopoly controversy known as the 'Okjangpan'.
On the 28th Ok Joo Hyun posted a photo wearing an orange prison uniform with flashy hair and makeup, smiling brightly and writing, "Prisoner. My crime is being Ok Joo Hyun." The remark drew even more attention because it came amid intense controversy over the casting for the musical 'ANNA Karenina'.
According to the casting lineup released by the 'ANNA Karenina' production, of the 38 performances, Ok Joo Hyun will perform in 23. Lee Ji Hye, who is triple cast in the title role alongside her, will appear in 8 performances, and Kim So Hyang will perform in only 7. This led to accusations that too many performances were given to Ok Joo Hyun, sparking controversy over "casting favoritism" and a "casting monopoly."
Of course, Ok Joo Hyun is an actor with a unique presence in terms of name recognition and ticket power. However, Kim So Hyang, a talented performer who met audiences recently in Evita after studying in the United States, and Lee Ji Hye, who majored in vocal music and has been active across genres including the Apple TV+ original Pachinko, also have strong musical fan bases, leading to continued disappointment.
In this casting, Ok Joo Hyun takes more than 60% of the total performances, while other roles were also double- and triple-cast; nevertheless, some pairings will not appear on stage at all. Considering musical fans' consumption tendency to seek out "favorite pairs" and watch various pairings, critics say this is a configuration that is hard to accept.
Regarding the controversy, a representative of 'ANNA Karenina' told OSEN on the morning of the 28th, "Casting and assignment of performance dates are the exclusive prerogative of the production company and the original creators," and added, "We have nothing further to say." They continued, "There were many variables such as consultations with the licensor, a reduction in the total number of performances, and actors' schedules, so the schedule was difficult to finalize," expressing a cautious stance.
As criticism over the casting continues, controversy also persists over whether Ok Joo Hyun's remark "My crime is being Ok Joo Hyun" was self-deprecating or a statement of direct defiance.
[Photo] Ok Joo Hyun SNS, provided by Mast International
[OSEN]