South Korean actor O Yeong Su, widely recognized for his role as the elderly Player 001 in Netflix’s global hit Squid Game, has been sentenced to one year in prison for indecent assault. The 80-year-old actor was found guilty of forcibly hugging and kissing a woman near his residence back in 2017.
The victim, a younger member of his theatre troupe, accused him of sexual misconduct on two separate occasions. Prosecutors argued that O Yeong Su misused his seniority and influence in the theatre industry to exploit someone with less power. They highlighted the emotional and psychological toll the incident had on the woman, calling it an abuse of authority.
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During the final hearing, O Yeong Su continued to deny the allegations, stating that the accusations lacked clear evidence and relied heavily on inconsistent testimony. He expressed deep regret if his actions caused distress, but maintained that he did not believe his behavior constituted assault.
The court initially handed him an eight-month sentence with a two-year probation period. However, following an appeal, the punishment was upgraded to a full one-year prison term. The final verdict is set to be officially announced on June 3.
