Popular “Squid Game” Actor Acquitted Of Charges Of Indecent Assault At Appeal Trial
Actor Oh Young Soo from “Squid Game”, who was on trial for charges of indecent assault, has been acquitted in his appeal trial.
On the afternoon of the 11th of November, the Suwon District Court’s Criminal Division 6-1 overturned the original ruling in Oh Yeong Soo’s appeal trial, in which he was indicted on charges of indecent assault.
The court stated, “Although the victim reluctantly agreed when the defendant asked to hug her, the hug itself was done with her consent. Considering that the intensity of the hug is unclear, it cannot be deemed indecent assault based solely on that.”
The court further explained, “While there is suspicion that the defendant may have committed the act as charged — given that the victim disclosed the incident to acquaintances and a counseling center about six months later, and that the defendant apologized when the victim sent him a message demanding an apology — the passage of time could have distorted the victim’s memory. Therefore, when doubt exists regarding whether the act constitutes indecent assault as specified in the indictment, the judgment must favor the defendant.”
Previously, Oh Young Soo was accused of forcibly molesting the victim, Ms. A, twice by hugging her and kissing her on the cheek in front of her residence in Daegu in 2017 during a theater performance. Ms. A reported Oh Young Soo to the police in 2021, but the police decided not to prosecute at that time. However, upon Ms. A’s appeal, the case was reinvestigated by the prosecution and brought to trial.
During the 1st trial, the prosecution requested a one-year prison sentence for Oh Young Soo, along with a ban on employment and the disclosure of personal information.
Despite consistently denying the charges, prosecutors sought a one-year prison sentence during his first trial on February 2, 2024. He was later found guilty and given a suspended sentence.
Both the prosecution and Oh Yeong Soo filed appeals, citing unfair sentencing — leading to the latest ruling, where the appellate court found him not guilty.
Source: (A)
