South Korean Actor O Yeong-su Convicted of Sexual Harassment After Starring in “Squid Game”

O Yeong-su, the 79-year-old actor, renowned for his portrayal of Oh II-nam in the hit Netflix series “Squid Game”, has been found guilty of sexual harassment. The Seongnam branch of the Suwon district court sentenced him to eight months in prison, which has been suspended for two years. Additionally, he is mandated to attend a sexual violence treatment program for 40 hours¹².

The charges against O Yeong-su stem from incidents in 2017, during which he was accused of inappropriately touching a female actor. His actions included hugging her, holding her hand, and kissing her cheek. O Yeong-su had previously asserted that he held the woman’s hand while guiding her around a lake. Although he apologized, he maintained that this did not constitute an admission of guilt¹.

Despite his conviction, O Yeong-su plans to appeal the decision. He has seven days to file an appeal; otherwise, the ruling will stand. Prosecutors had initially sought a one-year prison sentence for him¹.

Notably, O Yeong-su made history by becoming the first South Korean to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in Television for his role in “Squid Game” in 2022. However, the controversy surrounding the sexual harassment accusations led to his withdrawal from an upcoming film project in South Korea¹³.

For those affected by similar issues, support and information are available from organizations such as Rainn in the US (800-656-4673), Rape Crisis in the UK (0808 500 2222), and 1800Respect in Australia (1800 737 732)¹.