Veteran actor Oh Young-soo, widely known for his Emmy-nominated role as Player 001 in Netflix’s Squid Game, received a significant legal reprieve on Tuesday after a South Korean court overturned his indecent assault conviction.
A panel of judges in a court in Suwon, south of Seoul, ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecutors was not sufficient to prove the actor’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Following the overturn, the 81-year-old actor publicly thanked the court for its “wise judgment” as he departed the courthouse.
Details of the Case
- The Accusation: The female accuser filed a complaint in 2021, alleging that Oh Young-soo had inappropriately touched her, including holding her hand and forcefully kissing her cheek in 2017.
- Conviction (2024): After the case was initially dropped by prosecutors and then reopened upon the accuser’s appeal, Oh Young-soo was formally charged in 2022. He was convicted in March 2024, receiving an eight-month suspended sentence with two years of probation and an order to receive education on sexual violence.
- The Appeal: The actor appealed the 2024 verdict, maintaining his denial of the charges throughout the legal process.
The prosecution now has one week to appeal the overturn and bring the case to the country’s Supreme Court for a final decision.