Squid Game Star O Yeong-Su Given Suspended Sentence for Misconduct
Actor O Yeong-Su, known for his role in Squid Game, has received an eight-month suspended prison sentence for sexual misconduct, according to a South Korean court.
The 79-year-old actor was charged in 2022 for sexually assaulting a woman on two occasions, with the assaults occurring five years prior while O was participating in a theatre performance in a rural area in 2017, as reported by AFP, citing the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court.
O Yeong-Su has expressed intentions to appeal the verdict, having seven days to do so. The allegations against him involved hugging and kissing a woman against her will, as per reports from the Yonhap news agency.
Additionally, O has been mandated to attend classes on sexual violence, and Judge Jeong Yeon-ju highlighted the consistency and credibility of the victim’s statements, indicating that they reflect experiences of genuine assault.
Despite O’s denial of the claims, the Suwon District Court detailed the incidents occurring on a walking path and in front of the victim’s residence.
O Yeong-Su gained global recognition for his portrayal of Oh Il-nam in Squid Game, a popular Netflix series where contestants engage in perilous versions of childhood games. The show garnered over 100 million viewers worldwide within weeks of its 2021 release, and O became the first South Korean actor to win a Golden Globe the following year.
Following the controversy surrounding the accusations, O was removed from an upcoming film project in South Korea, according to Reuters.
Responding to the sentencing, Womenlink, a prominent feminist organisation, emphasised that sexual violence in the theatre should not be normalised, urging the accused to acknowledge the wrongdoing, apologise to the victim, and cease efforts to minimise the severity of the assault.
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