Actor Oh Young Soo, best known for his role in the global Netflix hit 'Squid Game,' has been acquitted of indecent assault charges following an appellate court ruling that overturned his previous conviction.
On November 11, the Suwon District Court’s Criminal Division 6-1 (Appellate Division) nullified the lower court’s verdict, delivering a not-guilty ruling for Oh, who had been indicted on charges of forcibly molesting a junior theater colleague.
Oh was accused of hugging and kissing a fellow theater member, identified as 'A,' without consent while staying in Daegu for a stage performance in August 2017. He was also alleged to have kissed A on the cheek in front of her residence the following month.
The case first emerged in December 2021, when A filed a police complaint. While the police initially decided not to refer the case for prosecution, A’s appeal prompted the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office in Seongnam to reopen the investigation. In November 2022, prosecutors indicted Oh without detention.
In the first trial, the court found Oh guilty, citing the credibility of the victim’s testimony, and sentenced him to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, along with 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program. Both Oh and the prosecution appealed the ruling, with prosecutors seeking a one-year prison sentence in both the first and second trials.
During his final statement in the appellate hearing, Oh expressed deep remorse over the ordeal but maintained his innocence: “At my age, I am ashamed to be standing in court. If my behavior back then was wrong and considered a crime, I will accept the consequences. But even now, I believe there was nothing in my actions that could be deemed as indecent. My 80 years of life have been shattered. It is painful and hollow. I only hope to return to my rightful place.”
The appellate court’s decision ultimately overturned the previous conviction, clearing Oh of all charges.
Oh Young Soo, who became internationally renowned for portraying the wise and mysterious Player 001 in 'Squid Game,' is one of South Korea’s most respected veteran actors, with a career spanning over five decades.
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