From Squid Game’s Player 001 To Courtroom: Where O Yeong-su Stands After The Sexual Misconduct Case
Suwon court clears Squid Game star O Yeong-su, 81, overturning a prior conviction on appeal for lack of sufficient evidence, The Chosun Daily reports.
Short version: the 'old man' from Squid Game just won his appeal. South Korean veteran O Yeong-su, 81, had his conviction tossed on Nov 11, with the court saying the evidence did not clear the bar. The whole thing came down to what was said when, and a very technical distinction the judges leaned on.
What the appeals court decided
The Suwon District Court Criminal Appeals Division 6-1, presided over by Judge Kwak Hyung-seop, overturned the lower court and acquitted O Yeong-su. The panel put it plainly:
"There is insufficient reasonable suspicion to conclude that a forcible molestation occurred."
The original conviction
This started with an allegation from 2017, when O, during a regional theater tour, allegedly hugged and kissed a junior female troupe member, identified as Ms. A, on the cheek without her consent. He denied it, but the lower court still found him guilty of sexual misconduct and gave him an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Prosecutors had asked for a year behind bars during both the initial trial and the appeal.
Why the appeals court threw it out
The judges focused on Ms. A's statements and how they evolved over time, plus what does and does not meet the legal definition of the charge.
- Six months after the alleged incident, Ms. A sought help at a sexual violence counseling center and said O had attempted to kiss her cheek.
- Later, during the official investigation, her testimony shifted to say he kissed her cheek.
- The counselor testified that their notes were taken from Ms. A's own account at the time, and the court said those notes were likely accurate.
- The court also said that an attempt to kiss someone on the cheek does not, on its own, constitute the crime of forcible molestation.
- There was no mention of the alleged incident in Ms. A's diary, which the court noted in its reasoning.
About that 2021 apology
O sent Ms. A a message in 2021 that basically said 'I'm sorry.' The court acknowledged the apology but framed it in context: with Squid Game exploding globally at the time, it was understandable that he might send a quick apology without parsing every word. The judges said apologizing under that kind of spotlight is not the same as admitting guilt, and it does not mean he accepted all of Ms. A's claims.
What they said after the verdict
O Yeong-su told reporters he respected the court and was grateful for what he called a wise judgment.
Ms. A, meanwhile, condemned the decision:
"Today's ruling is so unrealistic that it is hard to believe. I deeply regret this shameful judgment, which reinforces the hierarchical structures that enable sexual violence. The acquittal cannot erase the truth or the pain I endured."
Where this leaves him
O is best known as Player 001 from Squid Game, which won him a Golden Globe in 2022 for best supporting performance on TV. The case has been hanging over him ever since, but this ruling clears the conviction. Squid Game is streaming on Netflix if you want a reminder of why he became a household name in the first place.