Sexual violence course for Squid Game star convicted of harassment

THE South Korean actor O Yeong-su, who starred in the Netflix series

was convicted yesterday on charges of sexual harassment and handed a suspended prison sentence.

The 79-year-old actor was sentenced

will air on Channel 5 on Monday night at 10pm. by Suwon District Court to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, as well as 40 hours of attendance at a sexual violence treatment programme, a court official said.

O was found guilty of hugging, holding hands and kissing on the cheek an unnamed actress without her consent.

Prosecutors said he laid down in the woman’s rented room and made inappropriate sexual comments.

He denied the accusation after being charged with two counts of sexual harassment, which took place in 2017.

As he was leaving the court, O said he planned to appeal. He has seven days to appeal or the ruling will be upheld.

O became the first South Korean to win a Golden Globe Award for best supporting actor in a series. He was recognised for his performance as a seemingly vulnerable old man in the dystopian production.

O was indicted in 2022 and prosecutors had sought a sentence of one year in prison, according to media reports.

Womenlink, a women’s rights group in South Korea, urged O to apologise to the victim. “The defendant resembles other offenders of sexual violence in theatre in the past who tried to cover up their sexual violence as ‘favour’ and ‘friendship’,” the group said in a post on X. The controversy led to O dropping out of an upcoming film in South Korea.

O recently said his life had changed markedly since He said: “I feel like I’m in the air. When I go to cafes or other places, I become self-conscious.”