Squid Game actor O Yeong-su found guilty of sexual harassment, gets 8-month prison sentence

South Korean actor O Yeong-Su, known for his role in the hit series Squid Game, has been handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence for sexual misconduct. The 79-year-old actor was charged in 2022 with sexually assaulting a woman on two occasions.

The assaults occurred in 2017 when O was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance, as reported by the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court. The court found that O hugged a woman and kissed her on the cheek against her will.

O has announced his intention to appeal the verdict and has seven days to do so. He has also been ordered to attend classes on sexual violence.

Judge Jeong Yeon-ju stated that the victim's accounts were consistent and appeared genuine. O had denied the allegations, claiming they were false. The incidentwassaid to have taken place on a walking path and in front of the victim's residence.

O rose to international fame for his role as Oh Il-nam in Squid Game, a series that gained immense popularity on Netflix, attracting over 100 million viewers worldwide within weeks of its release in 2021. He became the first South Korean actor to win a Golden Globe award the following year.

However, the controversy surrounding the sexual misconduct allegations led to O being dropped from an upcoming film in South Korea.

Womenlink, a prominent feminist organisation, commented on the sentencing shortly after the verdict was announced. A part of the statement read, "Now we can say that sexual violence in the theatre is not an old custom but sexual violence. The accused must stop trying to make his assault go away, apologize to the victim, and accept his mistake."