Squid Game's Player 001 Actor O Yeong-Su Lands Suspended Prison Sentence In South Korea

Content warning: This article discusses allegations of sexual assault

"Squid Game" star O Yeong-Su has been found guilty of sexual assault by a court in South Korea, potentially facing eight months in jail, per Korea JoonAng Daily. However, the 79-year-old actor has been given a suspended sentence and ordered to complete a 40-hour class on sexual violence education.

The unnamed victim alleged that Yeong-Su forcibly hugged her and kissed her on the cheek while they were on a rural walking trail. The actor was initially indicted in 2022, and the court believes that all of the information provided against him since then has been sufficient. "The contents of the victim's diary and her records from counseling largely correspond to the case, and the victim's claims are consistent and appear to be statements that could not have been made without actual experience," the judge said.

Yeong-Su has denied the charges and vowed to appeal the court's decision. As documented by Deadline, he previously told JTBC that he only grabbed her hand to guide her around a lake and apologized afterward. However, he insisted that his apology shouldn't be interpreted as admitting to the allegations being leveled against him.

The reaction to O Yeong-Su's verdict

Since this is O Yeong-Su's first criminal charge, the court hasn't restricted him from continuing to work. However, Reuters noted that he has dropped out of a South Korean film project since the allegations emerged. Womenlink, a South Korean activist group, has urged the actor to apologize. "The defendant resembles other offenders of sexual violence in theatre in the past who tried to cover up their sexual violence as 'favour' and 'friendship'," the group wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Still, it remains to be seen if O Yeong-Su will be part of the "Squid Game" Season 2 cast, especially after this ruling. Fans of the show know that it's implied that his character, Oh Il-Nam, dies in his hospital bed at the end of Season 1. But some theories posit that he might still be alive. Furthermore, since the new season will seemingly delve deeper into the titular games, that Oh Il-Nam helped create, it's possible that the character could appear in flashbacks. As it stands, though, details about the upcoming season are being kept under wraps.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).