CELEBRITY
‘Squid Games’ Star O Yeong-su Convicted Of Sexual Harassment In South Korea
WomenLink/X
South Korean Squid Games star O Yeong-su was convicted on Friday of sexual harassment, but said he plans to appeal the decision.
O, 79, was charged with two counts of sexual harassment for a 2017 incident in which he allegedly hugged and kissed a woman on the cheek without her consent. He has denied the accusations.
On Friday, O was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to attend 40 hours in a sexual violence treatment program.
O told reporters outside the Seongnam Branch of Suwon District Court that he plans to appeal the ruling, which he has seven days to do.
After the ruling, the victim spoke at a press conference held by the South Korean women’s rights group WomenLink, along with other victims in the theater industry and their advocates.
The perpetrator did not admit his guilt, let alone apologize. It is said that he explained it ‘because I felt like his daughter’, the victim said, according to a post from WomenLink on X, formerly Twitter. Being a theater actor is the professional identity that I love the most. I hope my friends who think there is a lack of safety measures do not suffer for the same reason. Thank you to everyone who supported me.
While we welcome the courts ruling, we demand that the perpetrator not proceed with the appeal and apologize to the victim, said Sohee Lee, an activist from the Sexual Violence Relief Center of the Korean Women’s Association.
Oh won a Golden Globe for his role in Squid Game, becoming the first Korean actor ever to win at the awards show at age 77.
TMX contributed to this article.
