Oh Young Soo returns to court for second appeal hearing on assault charges

Actor Oh Young Soo faces second appeal hearing for indecent assault charges.

On October 29 KST, the Suwon District Court’s 6-1 Criminal Appeals Division will hold the second appeal hearing for actor Oh Young Soo, who received a suspended sentence for charges of indecent assault in his first trial.

Oh Young Soo allegedly forcibly embraced and kissed the victim on the cheek in 2017 during a stay for a theater performance, leading to his indictment in November 2022. The initial court ruling in March sentenced him to eight months in prison with a two-year suspension, along with a mandate to complete 40 hours of a sexual assault treatment program.

The actor has maintained his innocence, admitting to visiting the victim’s residence but denying any inappropriate actions. Both he and the prosecution appealed, citing misinterpretation of facts, errors in legal judgment, and concerns about the severity of the sentence. In the initial appeal hearing in August, his defense argued that he had already faced public and professional repercussions, including multiple film project cancellations.

During today’s hearing, the court will examine testimony from a witness requested by Oh Young Soo’s defense, who will present additional evidence and question the consistency of the victim’s statements.

Known for his role as “Gganbu Grandpa” in the Netflix series "Squid Game", Oh Young Soo made history as the first Korean actor to win Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes. However, following these charges, he has faced a broadcast ban on KBS since May.