O Yeong-Su, star of the global hit series 'Squid Game', has been acquitted by a South Korean court of sexual misconduct charges that were brought against him in 2022. The court's ruling came as a relief for the 81-year-old actor, who faced accusations of sexually assaulting a woman by hugging and kissing her on the cheek without consent.
Initially found guilty in 2024 and sentenced to an eight-month suspended prison term, Mr. O appealed the verdict. This week, the court overturned the conviction, stating that concerns over the accuracy of the victim's memories played a crucial role in their decision. The court emphasized that since the alleged incident occurred several years prior, there was a possibility that time had distorted the victim's recollection.
The alleged assaults were reported to have taken place in 2017 while Mr. O was in a rural area for a theatre performance. Although the victim initially filed a complaint in 2021 and the case was closed the same year, it was reopened later at the victim's request.
The court noted, 'There is a possibility that the victim's memory has been distorted over time, and when there is doubt... the defendant must be given the benefit of the doubt.'
Nevertheless, the judges acknowledged that Mr. O's actions could have still been undesirable, mentioning that he had apologized to the victim.
The alleged victim expressed her disappointment with the court ruling, declaring, 'This will not invalidate the truth or erase the pain I have suffered.' She vowed to continue speaking out about her experience, echoing sentiments expressed by women's rights organization Womenlink, which condemned the ruling as an example of disregarding sexual violence in the arts.
It remains unclear if the prosecution plans to appeal this latest verdict. Following the ruling, Mr. O publicly expressed gratitude toward the court for what he termed a 'wise judgement.' The actor became internationally renowned after 'Squid Game' and made history in 2022 as the first South Korean to win a Golden Globe award for best supporting actor for his performance.
