Squid Game star O Yeong-Su has been acquitted of sexual misconduct charges by a court in South Korea. The 81-year-old was charged in 2022 with sexually assaulting a woman twice. The allegations said that he hugged the woman and kissed her on the cheek against her will.
Mr O was found guilty in 2024 and given an eight-month suspended prison sentence, but said he would appeal against the verdict. On Tuesday, a court overturned his sentence, saying he had undergone classes on sexual violence and suggesting that the alleged victim's memory may have been 'distorted', considering how long ago the incident occurred.
The alleged assaults took place in 2017 when Mr O was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance. The alleged victim filed a complaint against him in 2021, but the case was closed in April that year. The prosecution later reopened the investigation 'at the request of the victim'.
In a statement, the Suwon District Court said there was 'doubt' as to whether Mr O had committed the assault. However, it also noted the possibility that he may have committed the assault since he had apologized to the victim.
The alleged victim later expressed her dissatisfaction with the ruling, stating it would not 'invalidate the truth or erase the pain I have suffered'. Womenlink, a women's rights organization, criticized the decision, stating they were 'outraged by a ruling that once again conceals sexual violence in the theatre world'.
After the court ruling, Mr O shared his 'gratitude to the court for its wise judgment'. He gained international fame through his role in Squid Game, which features lethal versions of traditional children's games, and became the first South Korean actor to earn a Golden Globe award for his role in the series.
Mr O was found guilty in 2024 and given an eight-month suspended prison sentence, but said he would appeal against the verdict. On Tuesday, a court overturned his sentence, saying he had undergone classes on sexual violence and suggesting that the alleged victim's memory may have been 'distorted', considering how long ago the incident occurred.
The alleged assaults took place in 2017 when Mr O was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance. The alleged victim filed a complaint against him in 2021, but the case was closed in April that year. The prosecution later reopened the investigation 'at the request of the victim'.
In a statement, the Suwon District Court said there was 'doubt' as to whether Mr O had committed the assault. However, it also noted the possibility that he may have committed the assault since he had apologized to the victim.
The alleged victim later expressed her dissatisfaction with the ruling, stating it would not 'invalidate the truth or erase the pain I have suffered'. Womenlink, a women's rights organization, criticized the decision, stating they were 'outraged by a ruling that once again conceals sexual violence in the theatre world'.
After the court ruling, Mr O shared his 'gratitude to the court for its wise judgment'. He gained international fame through his role in Squid Game, which features lethal versions of traditional children's games, and became the first South Korean actor to earn a Golden Globe award for his role in the series.
