O Yeong-Su, known for his role in Squid Game, has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence for sexual misconduct by a South Korean court.
The 79-year-old actor was accused of sexually assaulting a woman on two occasions, with the incidents allegedly taking place in 2017 while he was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance.
According to reports from AFP, the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court delivered the verdict, prompting O to announce his intention to appeal the decision within seven days. The allegations against him included forcibly hugging a woman and kissing her on the cheek against her will, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
In addition to the sentence, O has been ordered to attend classes on sexual violence. Judge Jeong Yeon-ju stated that the victim’s accounts of the assault were consistent and seemed to be statements that could only come from someone who had experienced them firsthand.
Despite denying the claims, the Suwon District Court found evidence that the incidents occurred on a walking path and in front of the victim’s residence. O Yeong-Su rose to international fame through his role in Squid Game, a popular dystopian drama where contestants engage in deadly versions of childhood games.
The unexpected success of the series on Netflix led O to become the first South Korean actor to win a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Oh Il-nam in the competition. However, following the controversy surrounding the accusations, he was dropped from an upcoming film in South Korea, as reported by Reuters.
Womenlink, a prominent feminist organization, spoke out after the sentencing, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and addressing sexual violence in the theatre industry. They called on the accused to stop downplaying the assault, apologize to the victim, and take responsibility for his actions.
