Veteran South Korean actor Oh Young-Soo, best known globally for his role of Player 001 in Netflix’s Squid Game, has been cleared of all indecent assault charges brought against him by an appellate court, finally bringing to a close almost two years of legal proceedings. The conviction of the 80-year-old actor has been overturned, restoring his reputation as one of South Korea’s most respected performers.
The Criminal Division 6-1 of the Suwon District Court overturned an earlier verdict and acquitted Oh of the charges of molesting his junior theatre colleague against her will on November 11. The allegations had been for incidents in Daegu in August and September 2017 where Oh allegedly hugged and kissed the woman, known only as “A”, without her consent.
The incident initially came to light in December 2021, when the alleged victim filed a complaint with police. At the time, they declined to pursue the matter, but an appeal led to the case being reopened and for Oh to be indicted in November 2022. In his first trial, the actor was convicted, given an eight-month suspended sentence, and ordered to take 40 hours of sexual violence treatment. Both Oh and the prosecution appealed, with prosecutors pushing for a one-year prison sentence.
At his final court appearance, Oh spoke of deep anguish over the ordeal: “At my age, I am ashamed to be standing in court. My 80 years of life have been shattered. It is painful and hollow. I only hope to return to my rightful place.”
After reviewing all evidence and testimony, the appellate court ruled there was insufficient proof of intent or misconduct, thus fully acquitting him.
Oh Young-Soo became the first-ever Korean actor to take home a Golden Globe for his work in Squid Game and is still celebrated for his distinguished contributions to theatre and film.
