Oh Yeong-su may have been known for his illustrious acting career in South Korea, appearing in over 200 productions, but he rose to international prominence when he played the role of Oh Il-nam or Player 001 in the global hit Netflix series Squid Game. As he deceived everyone in the show by pretending to be a contender despite being the rich financial tycoon behind the deadly games, it looks like he’s now facing the consequences of his actions in real life—though for a different misdemeanor. The 79-year-old has received an eight-month suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of sexual misconduct.
Aside from imprisonment, the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court said Yeong-su was also sentenced to two years of suspension. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours of classes on sexual violence.
According to reports, Yeong-su was charged with sexually assaulting a woman twice in 2022. The attack was said to have taken place when he was staying in a rural area for a theater performance in 2017. Allegedly, he hugged and kissed a woman on the cheek against her will on a walking path and in front of her house.
Judge Jeong Yeon-ju explained that the victim’s records of the assault and claims were “consistent.” Her statements also appeared real and couldn’t be made up without experiencing the actual event, leading to a guilty verdict.
Yeong-su denied the accusations and would file an appeal against the ruling. The court gave him seven days to do so.
Oh Yeong-su Earlier Denies Sexual Misconduct Charges
Following the accusations and sexual misconduct charges filed against Yeong-su in 2022, he had been dropped from a series of public service advertisements in South Korea. He was also removed from a co-starring role in a then-upcoming stage play. The actor was initially indicted for improperly touching a woman but was subsequently released without detention.
The alleged victim officially filed a complaint in December 2021, but it was dismissed in April 2022. The prosecutors once again began the investigation after the woman appealed the decision.
In a statement that Yeong-su sent to the Korean broadcaster JTBC (via The Hollywood Reporter), he explained that he only held her hand to guide her around the lake. He then stressed that he only apologized for believing others that she wouldn’t make an issue about it, but it didn’t mean he admitted the charges.
An official from the Suwon district prosecutor’s office also said, "Everything reported by local media concerning Oh’s case is not factually correct.” However, the official didn’t give further details about the claim.
Will Oh Yeong-su return to Squid Game Season 2?
Though Yeong-su’s character died in the first season finale, there are strong assumptions that he may return to Squid Game Season 2. Many believed he was already dead after he was shot dead following losing the marble game but later returned, though dying in a hospital bed.
Netflix and the series director, Hwang Dong-hyuk, have remained mum about his status on the show. But Yeong-su confirmed Player 001’s death in the hospital scene in an interview with Discussing Film in 2022.
So, it depends on how you viewed the last scene, but I think that while Il-Nam said that nobody is going to come to rescue the homeless man, deep in his heart, he had hope that someone would actually come for that guy. I think that’s what he was thinking. So, when someone actually came to the rescue, he probably thought, 'Oh, finally,' and then died.
It’s good to note that Yeong-su isn’t part of the returning cast that Netflix announced for Squid Game Season 2. That said, fans may have seen the last of him in the previous season. The show’s second season is set to be released this year.
