‘Squid Game’ Actor O Yeong-Su, 81, Acquitted of Sexual Misconduct in South Korea

Squid Game Actor Expresses Gratitude After Acquittal in Assault Case

Veteran South Korean actor O Yeong-Su, best known for his role in Netflix’s global hit Squid Game, has been acquitted of sexual misconduct charges by a South Korean court. The 81-year-old had previously been found guilty of inappropriately touching a woman, but the verdict was overturned on appeal.

Court Overturns 2024 Conviction

O, who rose to international fame as the elderly contestant Oh Il-nam in Squid Game, was originally convicted in 2024 and handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence for allegedly hugging and kissing a woman against her will in 2017. He denied the allegations and immediately filed an appeal.

On Tuesday, the Suwon District Court acquitted him, ruling that there was reasonable doubt regarding the incident. The court noted that O had completed sexual violence prevention classes and suggested that the alleged victim’s memory might have been “distorted” over time, given that the complaint was filed several years after the alleged events.

“There is a possibility that the victim’s memory has been distorted over time,” the court said in its ruling, as quoted by South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. “When there is doubt, the defendant must be given the benefit of the doubt.”

Background of the Case

The alleged assault occurred in 2017 while O was in a rural area for a theatre performance. The woman filed a complaint in 2021, but the case was initially closed in April that year. Prosecutors later reopened the investigation “at the request of the victim,” Yonhap reported.

In its statement, the court acknowledged that while there was some evidence suggesting inappropriate conduct—such as O’s reported apology to the complainant—it could not conclude that a criminal offense had occurred beyond reasonable doubt.

Reaction from the Victim and Advocacy Groups

The woman at the center of the case expressed disappointment following the acquittal, stating that the verdict would not “invalidate the truth or erase the pain I have suffered.” In a statement released through the women’s rights organization Womenlink, she vowed to continue speaking out: “Despite today’s ruling, I will continue to speak the truth to the very end.”

Womenlink criticized the court’s decision, saying it was “outraged by a ruling that once again conceals sexual violence in the theatre world.”

It remains unclear whether prosecutors will appeal the latest verdict.

O Yeong-Su’s Response

Following the ruling, O expressed gratitude to the judiciary, telling local media he was thankful for what he described as the court’s “wise judgment.”

O, a veteran stage actor before gaining global recognition, became an international star through Squid Game, the 2021 Netflix survival drama depicting contestants playing deadly versions of traditional children’s games for cash prizes.

In 2022, he made history as the first South Korean actor to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s most respected performers.

The case has drawn widespread attention in South Korea, where discussions around sexual misconduct and accountability in the entertainment industry continue to evolve following several high-profile cases over the past decade.