Ock Joo-hyun

Ock Joo-hyun (; sometimes spelled Ock Ju-hyun; born March 20, 1980) is a South Korean singer and musical theatre actress, known mostly for her role as the lead singer of the South Korean girl group Fin.K.L. After their unofficial breakup in 2002, Ock released three solo albums and has participated in several musicals, namely Wicked, Aida, Chicago, Cats, 42nd Street, and The Count of Monte Cristo.

Other works In addition to launching three albums, Ock has worked as a radiostation DJ for MBC, and as an MC for Korean networks SBS, MBC, and KBS. She has also received an award for "Best Radio DJ" during the MBC awards of 2005. She obtained the main role in the Korean version of Tim Rice's musical Aida, starting on August 27, 2005.

Ock has also done television work as a permanent member on various variety shows. In addition to being one of the main girls on Heroine 5, she was a part of Goldfish, an MBC TV show, in 2006. She was featured in the first season of MBC's reality program, "I am a Singer" with other veteran stars of Korean music. She was voted first place for her rendition of "1000 days", and also sang Korean ballad "Love is Gone", "Man is Ship, Woman is Harbor" and a re-make of fellow Fin.K.L member Lee Hyori's "U-Go Girl".

Ock has continued to further her "yoga celebrity" career, even helping to open up a yoga studio. She also released her own yoga VHS, DVD. More recently she published a new book about maintaining fitness of mind and body.

In March 2009, it was revealed that Ock would be teaching classes in music at Dong Seoul College. She also appeared in Tony Hawk's pro skater 2 as a playable character.

Musical actor Ock debuted in the role of Aida as the lead role in 2005. Many praised her vocals but were intensely critical of acting as well as her status as a former k-pop idol. When she returned to the role again in 2010 she fell ill and was unable to make one of the shows. The production only featured a single cast and no understudies or standbys were used during the run. Due to this, the show was cancelled and many people complained at the oversight of the situation. The following year she starred in Chicago and was met with better reviews saying that her acting had improved.

In 2010, she appeared in the Count of Monte Cristo in the main role of Mercedes. She appeared as the leading female role in the Korean adaptation of Das Musical: Elisabeth, opposite JYJ's Junsu in 2012. She received a Best Actress Golden Ticket Award and Korean Musical Award for this role. She followed these acclaimed adaptations of European musical theater into a new role as "Mrs. Danvers" in the musical "Rebecca," inspired by Hitchcock's movie of the same name. Playing a slightly unhinged and dark character, Ock showed a new side of herself and received the 2013 Korean Musical Award for Best Actress in a supporting role.

In 2014, Ock starred as Elphaba in the first Korean production of "Wicked the Musical" and also reprises the role of Danvers in "Rebecca" due to its popularity in South Korea. Starting in November 2014 Ock began her role as Marie Antoinette, in the musical Marie Antoinette at Charlotte Theater in Seoul, South Korea.

In 2016, Ock starred in her first original role with Mata Hari. It was also the first original musical from EMK Musical Company which was created in collaboration with Frank Wildhorn. He had stated that she had been one of the main inspirations for the character and songs of Mata Hari, and had sung high praises of her performances in his other musicals such as The Count of Monte Cristo. She later reprised her role in the 2017 and 2022 production which had since been revised.

In 2018, Ock was cast as Anna Karenina (along with Jeong Sun Ah) for the Korean premiere. Prior to that, she travelled to Russia to meet the cast and crew of the Russian production that was opening before her own run. She appeared at the curtain call for opening night, and sang a trio with Valeria Lanskaya (Anna Karenina) and Sergey Lee (Alexey Vronsky).

In February 2022, OCK has decided not to renew the contract with Potluck Co., Ltd.

Theatre Note: Most, if not all, large scale South Korean Musicals are generally double or triple cast for a role. The actors share the role equally and alternate throughout the eight show week.

Concerts

Video game appearances Ock Joo-hyun is a playable character in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (only in the South Korean PC version). Year Title Role Notes 2000 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 Herself South Korean PC version

Filmography Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2021 Saturday Night Live Korea Host Episode 7 My Teenage Girl Homeroom teacher

Radio shows Year Title Network Role Note 2021 Kim Young-chul's Power FM SBS Power FM Special DJ July 12 – July 13

Personal life Ock graduated from Kyung Hee University with Sung Yu-ri and Gong Yoo in February 2005.

Allegedly Ock had revealed herself to be in a long-term relationship with Jeff Chang, son of Korean media mogul. The relationship was said to have started in 2006, however when she mentions him at the awards show where she thanked him, she refers to him as "a friend of mine". It's inferred that they have since broken up and she is not in a relationship with anyone currently. In the director's cut of the Fin.K.L. Camping Club variety show she stated that she didn't want to get married when her fellow members asked about her thoughts.

Awards and nominations Year Award-Giving Body Category Work Result 2003 Mnet Asian Music Awards Best Ballad Performance "I" 2005 MBC Drama Awards Radio Sector "Radio DJ" 2008 2nd The Musical Awards Performance "Aida" in AIDA 2009 3rd The Musical Award Performance "Roxy" in Chicago 2010 6th Golden Ticket Award Performance "Mercedes" in Monte Cristo 2012 6th The Musical Award Performance "Elisabeth" in Das Musical: Elisabeth 2013 7th The Musical Award Performance "Mrs. Danvers" in Rebecca 2013 9th Golden Ticket Award Performance "Mrs. Danvers" in Rebecca 2014 8th The Musical Award Performance "Elphaba" in Wicked 2021 2021 MBC Entertainment Awards Special Award My Teenage Girl