South Korean actor O Yeong-su of 'Squid Game', who was charged with assaulting a woman in 2017, has been found guilty of sexual misconduct. This news has been confirmed by the local court on Friday. The 79-year-old actor is sentenced to eight months in prison and is suspended for two years, as told by the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court to AFP.
O Yeong-su has also been ordered to attend a mandatory 40 hours of sexual violence education classes as part of his punishment.
Reports state that during the trial, Judge Jeong Yeon-ju mainly focused on the consistency and credibility of the victim's testimony, and stated that her accounts appeared genuine and reflective of actual experiences.
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For those unaware, the incidents reportedly happened in between August and September in 2017 during O's two-month theatre performance tour in a rural area. According to the Suwon District Court, the incidents occurred on a walking path and in front of the victim's residence, respectively, Prosecutors claimed that O Yeong-su “expressed his lust” while drinking with the alleged victim. He was formally charged of sexual misconduct in 2022, following a case filed by the unknown woman in December 2021.
The case was dismissed in April 2022, but it was again reopened upon the woman's request. Earlier in a trial in February this year, the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors Office called for a one-year jail term for the 'Squid Game' actor and also recommended that he should not be allowed to work with children and young actors.
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During the initial hearing, he denied all allegations. He said, “I just held her hand to guide the way around the lake. I apologized because [the person] said she wouldn’t make a fuss about it but it doesn’t mean that I admit the charges.” He added, “It’s so painful and hard to stand in this court at this age like this. It is miserable that the last chapter of my life will end in such a way, making my whole life fall apart. I ask you to make a wise ruling.”
O Yeong-su was the first South Korean to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in the hit Netfix series, 'Squid Game'. He is best known as Player 001 on the show.
