Ok Joo-hyun, 29 years in, revisits 2022 'Okjangpan' row and regrets dropping defamation suit

Ok Joo-hyun went on record via a fan communication platform on July 6, and she did not hold back.

The 29-year veteran musical actress said she regrets withdrawing the defamation lawsuit she had filed against fellow musical actor Kim Ho-young. "Withdrawing the lawsuit is what I regret most," she wrote, adding that she has never received a proper apology from him.

The lawsuit traces back to 2022, when casting for the musical Elisabeth sparked the controversy that came to be called the 'Okjangpan' affair. At the time, Ok posted on social media that "regardless of facts, those who wag their mouths and fingers should be punished" — a statement widely read as signaling legal action against Kim. She followed through with a defamation filing, then later dropped it.

On July 6 she also took aim at the current vocal landscape. "These days everyone and their dog sings," she said, a pointed remark about the bar for singers in the industry. She also stated she has no interest in sharing a meal with juniors who engaged in 후보정 (post-correction of vocal recordings).

(Twenty-nine years in and she's still the one setting the temperature in the room.)