Seoul — Shocking news emerged from South Korea as actor Oh Young-soo from the popular series "Squid Game" has been convicted of sexual misconduct, according to a local court's announcement on Friday. This comes after he was accused of assaulting a woman back in 2017. Oh Young-soo, aged 79, made history in 2022 by becoming the first South Korean to win a Golden Globe Award for best supporting actor in a series, thanks to his remarkable portrayal of a seemingly feeble old man in the widely acclaimed Netflix dystopian thriller.
The court sentenced the actor to eight months in prison, which has been suspended for two years, as disclosed by the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court to AFP. Additionally, he has been mandated to attend 40 hours of sexual violence education, as per the court's ruling.
During the trial, the judge Jeong Yeon-ju noted that the victim's consistent records of the assault and her detailed recount of the incidents indicated the severity of the misconduct, stating that such statements could only come from someone who has experienced them firsthand.
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Oh Young-soo was formally charged in 2022 for sexually assaulting an unidentified woman on two separate occasions.
Oh's encounters occurred during a rural stay for a theatre performance in 2017, on a walking path and in front of the victim's residence, as per the Suwon District Court.
"Squid Game," a series portraying a grim world where marginalized individuals are compelled to participate in deadly versions of traditional children's games, rapidly garnered immense popularity on Netflix.
Surpassing 111 million viewers within less than four weeks of its 2021 release.
The show's triumph has heightened South Korea's escalating impact on global popular culture, following the worldwide acclaim achieved by K-pop group BTS and the Academy Award-winning movie "Parasite."
Various personalities in South Korea's film industry - such as late filmmaker Kim Ki-duk and actor Cho Jae-hyun — have been confronted with allegations of sexual assault.
