South Korean actor O Yeong-su, known for playing the Old Man and Player 001 in the web series Squid Game, faced sexual harassment allegations in 2022. South Korea’s Supreme Court recently delivered its verdict on the matter, effectively concluding the three-year-long legal battle.
The Court upheld the lower court’s decision to acquit O Yeong-su.
Case reached the courts in 2022
O Yeong-su was prosecuted in 2022; initially, he was found guilty and handed an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years. However, an appellate court overturned that ruling and acquitted the actor. Subsequently, the prosecution appealed the case to the Supreme Court. Now, the Supreme Court has also upheld the lower court’s decision, acquitting the actor of all charges.
Allegations made by the woman
A woman had accused the 82-year-old actor of sexual harassment in 2017. According to her complaint, O Yeong-su hugged her without her consent during a regional theater tour. She alleged that the actor did not stop there but also kissed her on the cheek.
Shot to global fame with Squid Game
The South Korean actor starred in the Netflix series Squid Game, playing the character Oh Il-nam. In 2022, he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in Television for his performance in the series.
Abut Oh Yeong-su
Long before Squid Game became a worldwide sensation, Oh Yeong-su had already built a distinguished career in South Korea, spending decades on stage as well as in television and films. Outside his home country, however, he became widely recognised for playing the elderly contestant Oh Il-nam, also known as Player 001.
On Squid Game and its future
When Squid Game premiered in 2021, few expected it to become a global cultural phenomenon. Within days of its release, the Korean survival TV series became a hit and was commended not only for its thrilling nature but also for offering a commentary on social inequality. Even though Season 3 of the show, which has just been released, ends the story of Seong Gi-hun, the franchise will probably not stop here.
Netflix has stated that it intends to keep growing the Squid Game world.
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