‘Squid Game’ actor O Yeong-su faces retrial in sexual misconduct appeal
Actor O Yeong-su / Courtesy of Netflix
Veteran actor O Yeong-su, known globally for his role as the “Gganbu Grandpa” in Netflix’s “Squid Game" series, will return to court for a retrial in his sexual misconduct appeal case.
According to the Suwon District Court’s Seongnam Branch on Sunday, the court will resume arguments on Aug. 12 in the appeal trial of O, who was indicted on charges of forcible molestation in 2022. The upcoming session will include witness testimony.
The appeal proceedings had been delayed twice, with initial sentencing expected on July 3. However, the court has now decided to reopen arguments before issuing a ruling.
In March 2023, the lower court found O guilty and sentenced him to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program. The court acknowledged the credibility of the victim’s consistent testimony, corroborated by her diary entries, conversations with acquaintances and therapy records.
The actor has denied the allegations, admitting that he visited the victim’s residence and held her hand, but insisting no inappropriate contact occurred.
Prosecutors, who initially sought a one-year prison sentence, appealed the ruling, citing a lenient sentence. O’s legal team also filed an appeal, claiming factual and legal misjudgments.
He was indicted without detention in November 2022 for allegedly hugging and kissing a woman against her will on two occasions in the summer of 2017, during a theater production.
Born in 1944, O debuted in 1968 and built a distinguished career on the stage. His international fame soared after his appearance in “Squid Game,” which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series in 2022.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.