The Supreme Court has finalised the acquittal of Squid Game star O Yeong-su regarding sexual harassment charges dating back to 2017. Friday’s ruling definitively brings an end to a high-profile legal dispute that has spanned more than three years since the 82-year-old actor’s initial indictment.
Judicial officials confirmed that the top court dismissed the prosecution’s final appeal and opted to uphold the lower court’s decision to clear the veteran actor of all sexual assault charges.
A protracted legal battle
O was originally indicted without physical detention in 2022. The allegations stemmed from an incident during a regional theatre tour in 2017 where he was accused of hugging a woman and kissing her on the cheek against her will.
The case experienced significant reversals as it navigated the judicial system. During the initial trial the district court handed the actor a guilty verdict alongside an eight-month prison sentence that was suspended for two years. However the appellate court subsequently overturned this conviction and fully acquitted O. The presiding appeals judge noted that while the actor might have committed the assault the legal principle of reasonable doubt dictated that the court must rule in favour of the defendant.
Following this dramatic reversal the prosecution challenged the appellate court’s logic but the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed their appeal to seal the acquittal permanently.
Before his legal troubles began O gained unprecedented global fame for his performance as the elderly contestant Oh Il-nam in the sensational Netflix original series Squid Game. The breakout role earned him the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role on Television at the 2022 Golden Globes.
