O Yeong Su, the 80-year-old South Korean actor who became a global sensation as the mysterious Oh Il Nam (Player 001) in Netflix’s Squid Game, has been sentenced to one year in prison after being found guilty of indecent assault.
The case stems from allegations that O Yeong Su forcibly hugged and kissed a woman near his home in 2017.
The woman, a junior member of his theatre troupe, accused the veteran actor of sexually harassing her on two separate occasions.
The prosecution portrayed the incident as an abuse of power by a respected senior actor over a vulnerable colleague.
At the final hearing held on April 3, prosecutors emphasized the severity of the emotional and psychological trauma inflicted on the victim.
According to reports from Korean media, the woman has lived in fear and distress in both her personal and professional life since the alleged assaults took place.
They described O Yeong Su as a highly influential figure in the theatre world, with nearly five decades of experience, who used his position to prey on someone with less power.
The prosecution requested a prison sentence, citing the seriousness of the offense and the long-lasting impact on the victim.
Despite the guilty verdict, O Yeong Su has continued to deny all charges. His legal team maintained that the accusations lacked solid evidence, relying solely on the victim’s testimony, which they claimed was vague, inconsistent, and illogical.
They also pointed out that the actor only responded publicly to the allegations after gaining widespread fame through Squid Game, and did so cautiously to avoid any negative repercussions on the show’s success.
In an emotional address to the court, O Yeong Su said, “I am ashamed to be standing in court at this age. If my words or actions were wrong, I will accept the consequences. However, even upon reflection, I do not believe I committed any act that could be considered assault.” He added, “If my careless words and actions hurt someone in our brief acquaintance, I regret that. My 80 years of life have collapsed in an instant, and I feel empty. I just want to return to my place.”
Initially, he was handed a sentence of eight months in prison with a two-year probation period. However, the latest ruling from the appeal trial has imposed a full one-year prison sentence.
The final verdict in this appeal will be officially announced on June 3.
The case has stirred significant public debate in South Korea, not only because of O Yeong Su’s fame following Squid Game, but also due to broader conversations around power dynamics in the entertainment industry and the accountability of public figures.
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