Controversy Over 'Inmaek Casting' - Ok Joo-hyun "Withdraws Lawsuit"... 'Elisabeth' Producer "No Involvement in Casting"

Photo by Potluck Corporation

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] Ok Joo-hyun, who sued fellow actor Kim Ho-young for defamation over the ‘network casting’ controversy, has expressed her intention to withdraw the lawsuit. At the same time, she made it clear that she did not intervene in the casting.

A representative of Ok Joo-hyun stated on the 24th, "(Ok Joo-hyun) plans to withdraw the lawsuit against Kim Ho-young after finishing today's performance and consulting with her lawyer."

They added, "An unfortunate incident occurred where a fellow industry actor was sued amid controversy over casting issues. We realized and reflected on the lack of caution during the explanation process."

However, they emphasized, "She did not have any involvement in the casting of the 10th-anniversary performance of the musical 'Elisabeth' and hopes that actors who were recognized for their skills through auditions will not be disparaged."

The ‘favoritism casting’ controversy began when the casting for the upcoming August performance of 'Elisabeth' 10th anniversary was announced. Kim So-hyun, who appeared in Season 1 and Season 2, was replaced by Lee Ji-hye, sparking the favoritism casting controversy. Lee Ji-hye is from the same agency as Ok Joo-hyun and is known to have a close relationship with her.

In response, Kim Ho-young posted on his SNS, "The chaos is a thing of the past. Now it’s the Ok floor," seemingly targeting Ok Joo-hyun. On the 21st, Ok Joo-hyun sued Kim Ho-young for defamation.

Amid the unexpected lawsuit, senior figures in the musical industry stepped in to mediate. Park Kal-lin, Choi Jung-won, and Nam Kyung-joo, regarded as first-generation musical actors, issued a statement saying, "Actors should not infringe on the production company’s exclusive rights such as casting," and "We must love and respect fellow actors and strive to create a good atmosphere." Although no one was named, it was interpreted as a backlash against Ok Joo-hyun, who sued Kim Ho-young.

Subsequently, Ok Joo-hyun posted on SNS, "I have read the appeal from senior musical actors," and said, "I will reflect on the seniors’ words that 'actors should focus on their primary work, acting.'"

Meanwhile, EMK Musical Company (EMK), the producer of 'Elisabeth,' reiterated its official position on the 24th, emphasizing the fairness of the casting. EMK stated, "Due to the nature of licensed musicals, casting cannot be done without the original creator’s approval. The casting process for 'Elisabeth' was also conducted fairly in accordance with the original creator’s contract," and added, "We hope that the controversy related to 'Elisabeth' will not spread any further."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.