Oh Dal-su to return to big screen after being cleared in sexual assault case
Oh Dal-su / Yonhap
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Oh Dal-su will return to the big screen two years after being cleared of sexual assault charges, with an appearance in the soon to be released film “Best Friend.”
The actor was removed from the tvN series “My Mister” (2018) and fantasy drama “Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days” (2018) after accusations of sexual assault surfaced in February 2018.
Three films starring Oh ceased production following the allegations. They were all in the post-production stage and have been shelved for years without any release date.
But a newly released trailer for “Best Friend,” filmed more than two years ago and set to be released this month, shows Oh was not cut from the film.
He will make his first public appearance since “Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead” (2018) at a press conference to promote the film, according to his management agency C-JeS Entertainment
“Oh will attend the press screening and news conference scheduled for mid-November. He's also willing to conduct interviews with the press,” the agency said Tuesday.
In the upcoming comedy flick, Oh will play a politician under house arrest who develops a friendship with a security agent who is keeping him under surveillance.
It also stars Jung Woo, Kim Hee-won and Lee Yu-bi. Director Lee Hwan-kyung, best known for hit comedy-drama “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” helmed the film.
Last year, Oh was found not guilty of the sexual assault charges. He signaled his return to the entertainment industry by signing with C-JeS Entertainment and playing a lead role in an independent film “Yo Si Chal.”
He was accused of sexually assaulting several women in the 1990s when he was part of the Yeonhee Street Theatre Troupe, which disbanded in 2018 following sexual assault allegations involving its stage director Lee Youn-taek. Lee was sentenced to seven years in prison. After the sexual assault allegations were made against Oh, the actor stayed out of the public eye for over a year.
“Although I have many faults, I've lived a faithful life in order to not cause any harm to others. I apologize for causing concern to many people. I'll work harder,” Oh said back then through a press release.
The 52-year-old actor gained popularity after appearing in a number of hit films, including “The Thieves” (2012), “Ode to My Father” (2014), “Assassination” (2015).