O Yeong-Su, the 81-year-old star of the hit series 'Squid Game', has been acquitted of sexual misconduct by a court in South Korea.
Initially charged in 2022 for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on two occasions, the claims involved hugging and kissing the woman against her will. In 2024, he was found guilty, receiving an eight-month suspended prison sentence, but he appealed the decision.
This past Tuesday, a court reversed that conviction, stating he had completed courses on sexual violence and suggesting potential inconsistencies in the victim's account due to the time elapsed since the incident.
The alleged incidents reportedly occurred in 2017 during a theatre performance in a rural area, with the victim filing a complaint in 2021, which was initially closed but later reopened based on her request.
The court expressed uncertainty regarding the assault, stating, There is a possibility that the victim's memory has been distorted over time, and when there is doubt... the defendant must be given the benefit of the doubt. Despite acknowledging the possibility of an assault, the court noted O's prior apology to the victim.
Following the ruling, the alleged victim stated via the women's rights organization Womenlink that the verdict did not erase her experience and expressed her commitment to continue sharing her truth. Womenlink criticized the ruling for enabling the concealment of sexual violence in the arts.
O Yeong-Su expressed gratitude to the court for what he termed their wise judgement. He gained international fame from 'Squid Game', where he portrayed the character Oh Il-nam, and in 2022 became the first South Korean to win a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his role.
