Ock Joo-hyun “Career scars from the ‘Ok-jang-pan’ frame... the work”

"I hope it is not consumed as mockery" – Ock Joo-hyun's confession after 4 years

Musical actress Ock Joo-hyun has opened up about the so-called 'Ok-jang-pan' (floor mat) frame that was once directed at her. On the 8th, Ock posted a long message on her social media expressing the inner feelings she had been unable to voice until now. She noted that it took a long time to write this post, stating that while she believed remaining silent and pretending to be okay was the best course of action, she now judged it to be the right time to speak fully as the actress Ock Joo-hyun.

Ock emphasized that the term 'Ok-jang-pan,' which triggered this confession, was not a simple happening. This frame, which started from a single person's remark, became a nickname attached to her name, and she had to endure suspicions, mockery, and criticism with her whole body for a long time. In particular, this issue had a practical impact not only on her own image but also on her overall career as an actress, including advertising activities and choice of works.

She appealed, "I hope my name is no longer consumed as mockery through the term 'Ok-jang-pan'," expressing that this was not a mere meme or joke, but an incident that left deep scars on an actress's life, stage, and career. Ock expressed her determination to be fairly evaluated as an actress on stage in the future.

The full story of the 'Ok-jang-pan controversy' that began in 2022 and the background of the withdrawal of the lawsuit

The roots of the incident trace back to June 2022. At that time, when suspicions of nepotism in the casting of the musical 'Elisabeth' arose, the controversy was triggered when broadcaster Kim Ho-young left a post on her social media saying, "The term 'Asaripan' (a mess) is a thing of the past. Now it's 'Ok-jang-pan'." Ock Joo-hyun judged this as a remark targeting her and sued Kim Ho-young for defamation.

At the time, Kim Ho-young's side explained that there was absolutely no intention to target Ock Joo-hyun, stating that the post was made to promote a friend's father's floor mat business. Ock decided to withdraw the lawsuit to avoid creating a larger controversy, bringing the matter to a temporary close. However, Ock later revealed her feelings on a communication platform with fans, saying, "My biggest regret as time passes is that I withdrew the lawsuit."

Although she decided not to raise the issue further after hearing Kim Ho-young's explanation, the frame formed among the public did not disappear. Ock revealed that the process of enduring as an actress amidst the ongoing suspicions and criticism over time was by no means easy.

The reason why she even had to choose to withdraw from works

Through this post, Ock confessed that the 'Ok-jang-pan frame' placed a burden not only on herself but also on her colleagues. Every time she chose or stepped down from a production, she had to worry whether this frame would cause harm to the production company and her colleagues. Ultimately, out of a sense of responsibility not to cause further harm to a production, she once made the decision to withdraw from a work herself.

In this process, Ock experienced psychological pain so intense that she felt regretful just for being part of the musical industry. The reason she opened her heart to her fans was also due to the pain that was difficult to bear as a human being, separate from her professionalism. She added, "To someone, it may be an old story that has accumulated fatigue, but to me, it was an incident that left deep scars on my life and career as an actress."

She also provided a clear reason for why she had no choice but to remain silent. At the time, she chose silence because she did not want to have a negative impact on the production, the company, and the colleagues standing on stage with her. Since she is currently not affiliated with any specific production or company, she is finally able to clearly state her position as the actress Ock Joo-hyun.

"Why was there no explanation before the public?" Ock Joo-hyun's question

Ock made it clear that the purpose of revealing her position this time is not a simple emotional battle. She raised the question of why, if Kim Ho-young's remark was truly not directed at her, so many people thought of Ock Joo-hyun when they heard those words. Furthermore, she expressed her desire to ask why no public explanation or clarification was made regarding the damage and wounds caused by this.

She said she is also reflecting on herself, admitting that there were moments in the past when she was not emotionally prudent. However, this confession stems from her desire to protect her career and to ensure that her value as an actress is no longer damaged by a false frame.

Ock Joo-hyun, who debuted in 1998 with the group Fin.K.L and reached the top, transitioned to a musical actress after the team disbanded, building an unrivaled career by performing in major works such as 'Elisabeth,' 'Rebecca,' and 'Mata Hari.' Through social media, Ock stated, “It took a long time to write this post,” adding, “I felt that the reason why I had no choice but to say such things, and what I have endured during that time, was not properly conveyed.”