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Musical theater star Ock Joo-hyun is once again at the center of a firestorm following allegations of unfair casting distribution for the upcoming production of Anna Karenina.
The controversy erupted after the production team of Anna Karenina released its official casting schedule. For the titular role of Anna, the production opted for a "triple casting" featuring Ock Joo-hyun, Lee Ji-hye, and Kim So-hyang.
The core of the dispute lies in the disproportionate allocation of performances. Out of a total of 38 shows, Ock Joo-hyun has been assigned 23—more than 60% of the run. In stark contrast, Lee Ji-hye and Kim So-hyang were assigned only eight and seven performances, respectively.
Further fueling the equity debate is the scheduling of time slots. In the musical industry, evening shows are considered the "prime time" for ticket sales and prestige. However, the majority of evening slots were awarded to Ock, while Kim So-hyang was relegated to matinees for five of her seven appearances. Meanwhile, the male lead role of Alexei Vronsky saw a significantly more balanced distribution between actors Yoon Hyung-ryeol, Moon Yoo-kang, and Jung Seung-won.
The tension became public on the 27th when Kim So-hyang posted a cryptic message on social media: "Night, night, night. I have much to say, but I’ll stay silent." Industry insiders have interpreted "Night, night, night" as a direct reference to Ock’s monopoly over the coveted evening performances.
Mast International, the production company behind the show, issued a clarification on the 28th. "The schedule was finalized after complex negotiations involving the licensor, a reduction in the total number of performances, and the individual schedules of the actors," the company stated. "It was a difficult adjustment to make."
This is not Ock’s first brush with casting scandals. In 2022, actor Kim Ho-young sparked a massive industry-wide debate after posting, "The term 'chaos' is old news; now it's an 'Ock-mat' [Ock-jang-pan]," a play on words suggesting Ock used her personal influence to control casting. That controversy specifically targeted the 10th-anniversary production of Elisabeth, where Lee Ji-hye—a close friend of Ock—was cast alongside her.
At the time, Ock took a hardline stance, stating she was preparing legal action against "rude speculation." The producers of Elisabeth also denied any undue influence.
Based on the masterpiece by Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina explores the complexities of love, marriage, and family against the backdrop of 19th-century Russian high society.
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