O Yeong Su
‘Squid Game’ actor convicted of sexual harassment
O Yeong Su was awarded a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the hit series “Squid Game”.
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O Yeong Su became world famous for his role as an innocent, frail old man in the successful South Korean Netflix series “Squid Game”. Now the 79-year-old actor has been convicted of sexual harassment.
As the player “001” in the Netflix surprise hit “Squid Game” O Yeong Su became world famous. Now a court has found O guilty of sexual harassment and sentenced him to a suspended sentence of eight months in prison. He must also complete 40 hours of therapy on the subject of sexual violence, a court in the city of Seongnam decided on Friday.
O Yeong Su appeals verdict
As the South Korean news agency Yonhap reports, O is said to have hugged an unnamed actress in front of her house against her will on several occasions in 2017, holding her hand and kissing her on the cheek.
According to the New York Times, the woman claimed to have initially repressed the tormenting memories that she had recorded in a diary. When “Squid Game” suddenly became a global media phenomenon, she demanded an apology from O – and received it. However, he later denied that his concession should be understood as an admission of guilt.
After the verdict on Friday, O announced that he would appeal. Convicted sex offenders in South Korea are registered and monitored by the police even after their prison sentence.
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Golden Globe for role in “Squid Game”
For his performance in “Squid Game” as a frail, supposedly innocent old man, the now 79-year-old was the first South Korean to receive a Golden Globe. The dark South Korean Netflix series, in which indebted people fight for survival in deadly versions of children’s games, became the US streaming provider’s most successful production after its launch in 2021.
O was already considered one of the most successful stage actors in his homeland. Since 1968 he has taken part in more than 200 plays and has been awarded numerous theater awards. However, the negative headlines have put a noticeable dent in the actor’s career. O will not be part of the second season of “Squid Game”, the South Korean Ministry of Culture has withdrawn a commercial in which he would have been seen and his scenes in a planned film have also been completely canceled.
Sources: “New York Times“; BBC; with AFP