‘Squid Game’ star Oh Yeong-soo stands trial for sexual misconduct

Seoul, South Korea — Actor Oh Yeong-soo, who gained worldwide recognition after appearing in Netflix’s hit ‘Squid game,’ is on trial Friday for sexual misconduct.

The prosecution charged Oh, 78, with indecent assault for allegedly inappropriate physical contact with a woman in 2017. The alleged victim first brought her case to police in 2021, authorities said.

Little is disclosed about Oh’s alleged sexual misconduct, but the alleged victim claims there was unwanted touching when she met Oh in 2017, according to local media outlets JTBC and News1.

Police accepted the crime report and investigated the incident, but decided not to transfer the case. However, prosecutors in Suwon District, located south of Seoul, began re-examining the case in 2022 following the alleged victim’s formal objection, according to the Seongnam City District Court.

In a November 2022 interview with local newspaper News1, Oh denied any wrongdoing and called the victim’s claim “one-sided.” He told local broadcaster JTBC that he was “holding her hand giving her instructions around the lake”, but denied the allegations of sexual misconduct.

In South Korea, court and police records regarding sex crimes are not available under the law to prevent disclosure of victim information.

Oh pleaded not guilty to the indecent assault charges.

ABC News was unable to reach Oh for comment.

If the Suwon District Court judge finds him guilty on Friday, Oh would face a fine of up to $12,000 or 10 years in prison.

Oh is a veteran actor in the South Korean theater scene, who made his debut in 1963. He rose to worldwide fame as an elderly contestant in “Squid Game.” His performance as Player 001 earned him an Emmy Award nomination and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, a first for a Korean actor.