South Korean court overturns sexual misconduct conviction of Squid Game actor O Yeong-su

SEOUL: A South Korean appeals court has overturned the sexual misconduct conviction of Squid Game actor O Yeong-su.

According to Deadline, citing a Korean news agency, the Suwon District Court cleared the 81-year-old actor of charges that he hugged and kissed a woman against her will during a regional play tour in 2017. O had been charged in 2022.

The court said there was suspicion that O may have harassed the woman, but added that her memory of the incident could have been affected over time. The judges also stated that when doubts exist, it is important to protect the rights of the accused. The court noted that the woman had received counselling for sexual violence about six months after the incident and that O had apologised to her at her request.

Actor O Yeong-su, who starred in the first season of Netflix’s Squid Game, has been acquitted on charges of sexual misconduct after being found guilty in 2024. https://t.co/1MEqL3iQDZ pic.twitter.com/YDgcPJX5mO

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) November 11, 2025

Earlier, the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court had sentenced O to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to attend a 40-hour sexual offender treatment programme.

According to Deadline, the ‘Squid Game’ actor had earlier said that he held the woman’s hand to guide her around a lake during his first conviction last year. “I apologized because [the person] said she wouldn’t make a fuss about it, but that doesn’t mean I admit the charges”, he said.

O Yeong-su gained worldwide fame for his role as Oh Il-nam, or “Player 001,” in Squid Game. He, in fact, won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor, making him the first Korean actor to receive the honor. He also earned an Emmy nomination for his performance. (ANI)