'Squid Game' actor O Yeong-Su found guilty of sexual misconduct, to serve 8 months in prison

Oh Yeong-Su

South Korean actor, O Yeong-Su who is popularly known for his role in the internationally acclaimed Netflix series 'Squid Game', has been convicted of sexual misconduct. The statement was released by a local court on Friday.

The actor, 79, who clinched a Golden Globe Award for best supporting actor in the series, was found guilty of assaulting a woman in 2017.

Reportedly, the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court informed AFP that the actor has been handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Apart from this, the actor has also been mandated to attend 40 hours of sexual violence education classes.

Oh Yeong-su has said he will appeal against the verdict and has seven days to do so.

During the sexual misconduct trial, Judge Jeong Yeon-ju highlighted the consistency and credibility of the victim's testimony. The judge stating that her accounts appeared genuine and reflective of actual experiences. According to a report in Yonhap news agency, the allegations were that he hugged a woman and kissed her on the cheek against her will. According to Suwon District Court, the incident took place on a walking path and in front of the victim's residence.

O Yeong-Su was formally charged in 2022 for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on two separate occasions while he was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance in 2017, according to the Suwon District Court. The controversy caused by the accusations against O saw him dropped from an upcoming film in South Korea, Reuters reported.

Womenlink, a prominent feminist organisation, spoke to reporters shortly after the sentencing and said: "Now we can say that the sexual violence in the theatre is not an old custom but sexual violence. The accused must stop trying to make his assault go away, apologise to the victim and accept his mistake."

Garnering a remarkable 111 million viewers within a month of its debut in 2021, 'Squid Game' propelled South Korea's cultural influence to new heights, following the global acclaim achieved by entities like K-pop sensation BTS and the Academy Award-winning film 'Parasite'.