Squid Game Star Convicted After Shocking Allegations

According to reports, the 79-year-old actor was given a suspended prison sentence of up to eight months following charges dating back to 2022. The allegations against him involve reportedly hugging and kissing a woman on the cheek in 2017. The Squid Game actor denied the charges when speaking to journalists while exiting the courthouse on March 15.

The actor said he intended to challenge the verdict, which required him to participate in a 40-hour program for sexual offenders. O has previously stated that he simply held the woman’s hand to assist her around a lake. “I apologized because [the person] said she wouldn’t make a fuss about it, but it doesn’t mean that I admit the charges,” the Squid Game actor explained.

However, Judge Jeong Yeon-ju said that the victim’s accounts of the incident and her allegations were “consistent and appear to be statements that cannot be made without actually experiencing them.” The court further noted: “What’s written in the victim’s diary and the counseling report of the victim after the incident pretty much match the details of this case.”

South Korean women’s rights group Womenlink approved the ruling against the Squid Game actor. The organization issued a statement on social media site X, saying, “The defendant resembles other offenders of sexual violence in theater in the past who tried to cover up their sexual violence as ‘favor’ and ‘friendship.'”

O has been a working actor for over five decades, but it was his portrayal in Squid Game that propelled him to worldwide fame and praise. His other notable roles include portraying King Lear in the play of the same name and appearing in the South Korean television series Chocolate. He often portrays monk roles in film and television due to his experience with Buddhist plays.

O Yeong-su plays Oh Il-nam/Player 001 in Squid Game. At first, Il-nam appears as an old man suffering from a brain tumor and dementia. Rather than facing his fate outside the game, he chooses to participate, forming a strong bond with Gi-hun. Despite appearing to perish during the Marbles game, it’s later revealed that he survived and was the mastermind behind the deadly games.

Il-nam confesses that he created the games out of boredom and disillusionment with his wealth and humanity, finding solace in the competition. He passes away due to his illness, but not before making a final wager with Gi-hun. Since its 2021 Netflix premiere, Squid Game has gained immense popularity worldwide.

The show revolves around a group of people facing insurmountable debt who are invited to participate in a series of children’s games with the promise of winning a substantial amount of money. However, they soon realize that losing these games means risking their lives. Squid Game’s success lies in its well-developed characters and ability to reflect deeper societal issues related to wealth and power.

Squid Game Season 2 is expected to premiere in 2024. The new installment will feature an expanded cast, including new and returning faces. Returning characters include Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man, Wi Ha-jun as Hwang Jun-ho, and Gong Yoo as the Salesman. The story will follow Seong Gi-hun as he abandons his plans to go to the U.S. in favor of a new motive.

Source: Deadline