'Anyone can call themselves a singer': 1st-generation K-pop star Ock Joo-hyun slams Auto-Tune overuse
Singer and musical actress Ok Joo-hyun / Courtesy of Ateod
Reaction divided over Ock's strong criticism of pitch correction
Singer and musical actress Ock Joo-hyun has sparked debate after publicly criticizing singers who rely heavily on Auto-Tune and pitch correction.
"These days, even people who can barely sing use Auto-Tune and pitch correction during live performances. It's really frustrating," Ock said while speaking on a fan communication platform recently.
"Singers need to keep studying and improving their live vocals. But now, with excessive pitch correction, performances that make you think, 'There's no way this should be on television,' are being normalized. Honestly, it makes me angry."
Ock went on to say, "I don't even want to be in the same league as them professionally. Some people may think that's a rude thing to say, but it's the truth. Looking at the amount of pitch correction used these days, it feels like just about anyone can come in and call themselves a singer."
After one fan suggested that her comments sounded overly emotional, Ock doubled down on her criticism.
"People shouldn't get the wrong idea that you can become a professional singer even if you can't actually sing," she said. "We shouldn't encourage that kind of false dream from the start."
She added, "The people who know, already know. Once pitch correction goes beyond a reasonable level, it's deception. At the very least, I've never lip-synced during any of my performances."
Ock's remarks have drawn mixed reactions online. Some praised her for speaking candidly as a veteran vocalist about the overuse of pitch correction in the music industry, while others argued that her choice of words was unnecessarily harsh.
Ock debuted in 1998 as the main vocalist of the girl group Fin.K.L, earning recognition for her vocal ability. She later transitioned into musical theater and has starred in productions including "Aida," "Chicago," "Rebecca" and "Anna Karenina."
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.