O Yeong-su, the 81-year-old star of Squid Game, has been acquitted of sexual misconduct charges by a South Korean court. Accused in 2022 of twice sexually assaulting a woman by hugging and kissing her without consent, Mr. O was initially found guilty in 2024 and received an eight-month suspended prison sentence. He appealed the verdict.
This week, the court reversed that verdict, suggesting the victim's memory may have been distorted over time and acknowledging Mr. O's participation in sexual violence awareness classes. The alleged incidents were said to have occurred during a theater performance in 2017.
The court indicated that while there was reasonable doubt about the accusations, it was also acknowledged that Mr. O had apologized to the victim. The ruling has drawn criticism from women's rights groups, stating it further obscures issues of sexual violence in the arts.
The alleged assaults first came to light in 2021 but were not pursued until the victim requested a reopening of the case. After the ruling, Mr. O expressed gratitude to the court, while the victim vowed to continue speaking the truth about her experience.
This case not only highlights the complexities surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct but also raises questions regarding the impact of incidents in the entertainment industry on the #MeToo movement.
