‘Squid Game’ star Oh Yeong-su indicted for sexual misconduct

MANILA, Philippines – Squid Game star Oh Yeong-su has been indicted on sexual misconduct charges, according to Korean media.

In a Variety report, South Korean prosecutors in Suwon announced the charges held against the Korean actor on Friday, November 25. According to local reports, Oh Yeong-su, 78, was indicted without detention for allegedly touching a woman inappropriately in 2017. 

It was reported that the victim allegedly filed a complaint against him in December 2021, but the case closed earlier without a charge this year. The investigation was recently reopened at the request of the victim. 

However, an official from the Suwon prosecutor’s office told AFP France that the local media reports on the 78-year-old actor are “not factually correct.” The official did not provide further details. Shortly after the news of Yeong-su’s indictment broke, the Korean Ministry of Culture pulled a TV commercial featuring him off the air.

Yeong-su has since denied the allegations, and in a statement, shared with Korean broadcaster JTBC, that “he just held her hand to guide the way around the 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,” he added.

In Squid Game, Oh Yeong-su played Oh Il-nam, the oldest contestant in the show’s fictional death game. The role earned Oh a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 2021. Oh was also nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series during the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards. 

Squid Game was released in September 2021 and soon after became a household hit, becoming Netflix’s biggest series launch ever. The show continues to hold the title for most watched television series more than a year after its release. – with reports from Manolo Soliven/Rappler.com

Manolo Soliven is a Rappler intern.