South Korean actor Oh Yeong-su, renowned for his role in Netflix’s ‘Squid Game,’ has been found guilty of sexual misconduct stemming from an incident in 2017. The 79-year-old actor was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, for inappropriately touching an actress against her will, which included hugging, holding hands, and kissing her cheek.
The verdict was delivered by a district court judge in Seongnam, following charges pressed by prosecutors in November 2022, prompted by the victim’s decision to come forward amidst the global success of ‘Squid Game.’ Oh Yeong-su will also undergo a 40-hour sexual violence treatment program as part of his sentence.
Evidence presented during the trial, including the victim’s journal and counseling sessions, supported her account of the incident, leading to the conviction. Oh Yeong-su expressed his intention to appeal the verdict.
Despite his lengthy career in Korean theater and television, which spans over five decades, Oh Yeong-su gained international recognition with his role as Oh Il-nam in ‘Squid Game.’ His performance earned him a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy nomination. However, Netflix has not commented on his legal situation or his involvement in the show’s second season.
The allegations against Oh Yeong-su surfaced in 2021 when the actress accused him of forcibly hugging and kissing her during a play tour in 2017. Oh Yeong-su admitted to holding her hand but denied any indecent assault. After the case was initially dropped due to insufficient evidence, it was reopened by prosecutors following the woman’s appeal.
