South Korean actor O Yeong Su, famous for his role as Oh Il Nam (Player 001) in Netflix’s Squid Game, has been sentenced to one year in prison after being found guilty of indecent assault. The 80-year-old actor was accused of forcibly molesting a woman twice in 2017. Although he pleaded not guilty during his appeal trial, the court ruled in favor of a one-year prison sentence.
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Details of the Case
During the final hearing on April 3, 2024, the prosecution described O Yeong Su as a veteran actor with nearly 50 years of experience in theatre, who sexually harassed a junior member of his troupe. The prosecution argued that the victim had been living in fear both at work and in her daily life since the incident. They also highlighted O Yeong Su’s response to the allegations, where he claimed, “I did it with the heart of a father,” instead of apologizing. The prosecution requested a one-year prison sentence to support the victim’s recovery and deter similar crimes in the future.
#SquidGame actor O YEONG SU has been convicted of sexual harrasment .
He is sentenced for 8 months in prison and suspended for two years pic.twitter.com/N5JB2cVggQ
— Movie Track (@movieztrack) March 15, 2024
O Yeong Su’s Defense
O Yeong Su’s legal team denied all charges, arguing that the victim’s testimony was the only evidence against him and lacked consistency. They also claimed that due to his rise to global fame following Squid Game, O Yeong Su was pressured to apologize, which he did only to avoid controversy. In court, the actor expressed his regret but maintained that he did not believe his actions amounted to assault. He said, “My 80 years of life have collapsed in an instant, and I feel empty. I just want to return to my place.”
‘Squid Game’ actor O Yeong-su convicted in sexual harassment case https://t.co/cW8AoG5leA pic.twitter.com/sHdC4HD5uN
— New York Post (@nypost) March 15, 2024
Future Verdict
The accusations date back to 2017 when O Yeong Su allegedly hugged and kissed the victim near his home, which he has denied. Initially sentenced to eight months in prison with a two-year probation period, the recent ruling now sentences him to one year in jail. The final verdict of the appeal trial will be announced on June 3, 2024.
