‘Squid Game’ actor O Yeong-su found guilty of sexual assault

Content warning: This article discusses allegations of sexual assault.

South Korean actor O Yeong-su, best known for his role as Oh Il-nam in Netflix’s hit K-drama series Squid Game, has been found guilty of sexual assault.

The 79-year-old actor was found guilty by the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Court today (March 15), and has been sentenced to eight years of prison, suspended for two years, and 40 hours of sexual violence education, per Korea JoongAng Daily and The Korea Herald.

The court said that “the contents of the victim’s diary and her records from counselling largely correspond to the case, and the victim’s claims are consistent and appear to be statements that could not have been made without actual experience”, per Korea JoongAng Daily.

The victim, who has not been identified, filed charges against O in December 2021, accusing the actor of “hugging the victim while on a walking trail and kissing her on the cheek” in 2017, according to The Korea Herald. The news outlet also reported that the Squid Game actor, who has long denied the charges, plans to appeal the case.

In 2022, O became the first South Korean actor to win a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Squid Game. The actor had also earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor.

Prior to Squid Game, he was best known for starring in theatre productions. He later began appearing in a number of Korean films and television shows, including God Of War and 2003’s A Little Monk.