Squid Game Actor O Yeong-su has been confirmed to have committed sexual assault.
The South Korean actor, 79, is most famous for playing Oh Il-nam, an old man participating in the deadly game in order to win a large sum of money.
This role led to him winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 2022.
However, this week he narrowly escaped being sent to prison for eight years.
Two years ago it was reported he would face trial after being accused of touching a woman inappropriately in 2017, with a complaint filed in December 2021.
He’s now been found guilty of the charges by the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Court.
The actor was sentenced to eight years of prison, suspended for two years, and 40 hours of sexual violence education, as reported by the Korea JoongAng Daily and The Korea Herald, per NME.
The court said that ‘the contents of the victim’s diary and her records from counselling 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 victim, who has not been identified, filed charges against O in December 2021, accusing the actor of ‘hugging her while on a walking trail and kissing her on the cheek’ in 2017, according to The Korea Herald.
The news outlet also reported that the Squid Game actor, who has long denied the charges, plans to appeal the case.
In 2022, O became the first South Korean actor to win a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Squid Game.
He also earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor.
Starting out as part of a theatre crew called The Square, the actor then worked in National Theater Company of Korea.
He performed in stage productions of plays including Goethe’s Faust, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Merchant of Venice.
On television, he has featured in shows such as God of War and Chocolate, while his film credits include A Little Monk and The Soul Guardians.
