Squid Game star O Yeong-su Acquitted of sexual misconduct charges by a South Korean appeals court on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. The 81-year-old actor’s conviction was overturned after the court cited insufficient evidence.
The ruling overturned a March 2024 lower court decision that had found O Yeong-su guilty and handed him an eight-month suspended sentence for an alleged 2017 incident involving a former co-star. The appeals court specifically cited “doubt” regarding the accuser’s recollection of the incident due to the significant time lapse between the event and the testimony.
Following the acquittal, the actor, who became the first Korean to win a Golden Globe for his role as Oh Il-nam (“Player 001”), expressed gratitude. However, the alleged victim, through a women’s rights organization, stated the ruling would not “invalidate the truth or erase the pain” she suffered, highlighting the sensitivity surrounding the case.
The final ruling brings a complex two-year legal battle to a close for the respected veteran actor. The initial conviction had previously led to O Yeong-su being dropped from a film project, demonstrating the serious consequences the charges carried for his high-profile career.
