South Korea’s Supreme Court Upholds Acquittal of “Squid Game” Actor Oh Yeong-su in Sexual Misconduct Case

South Korea’s Supreme Court has upheld an appellate court ruling that acquitted actor Oh Yeong-su in a sexual misconduct case, the court announced in a decision issued on June 25, according to reporting from Koreaboo. The ruling means the actor—widely known internationally for his role in Netflix’s Squid Game—will not face criminal punishment related to the allegations in the case.

What the case alleged

Oh was prosecuted over allegations that he forcibly touched a junior female colleague, identified in the reporting as Ms. A, twice during 2017 while both were in Daegu for a theater performance. The claims described two separate incidents: a hug on a walking trail in August 2017 and a kiss on the cheek in front of her residence in September 2017.

According to the case summary, Oh denied the accusations. Both the prosecution and the defense challenged the verdicts that came before the Supreme Court—setting up a multi-stage review of witness testimony, credibility, and how evidence was assessed over time.

Conflicting rulings: conviction at trial, acquittal on appeal

The initial trial court found Oh guilty, imposing a sentence of eight months in prison, suspended for two years. The court also ordered 40 hours of sexual violence treatment, stating that the victim’s statements were consistent and credible and unlikely to have been fabricated without relevant experience.

However, that outcome did not hold. On appeal, the court reversed the conviction and acquitted Oh. The appellate court cited the difficulty of excluding the possibility that parts of the testimony were distorted over time and concluded that where there is doubt about whether the defendant committed the alleged assault, the legal standard requires a finding in favor of the defendant.

Supreme Court’s decision and the legal standard applied

In its final ruling, the Supreme Court’s 3rd Division upheld the appellate court’s decision to acquit Oh. The Supreme Court’s stance, as summarized in the reporting, emphasized that when doubts remain—particularly regarding testimony reliability over extended periods—the judgment must favor the accused.

For observers, the decision underscores how South Korean courts weigh credibility and consistency against procedural and evidentiary concerns, especially in cases that largely depend on personal accounts rather than independent, contemporaneous documentation.

High-profile actor, global audience, and courtroom scrutiny

Oh’s legal battle attracted intense attention well beyond South Korea. He gained international visibility through Squid Game, Netflix’s breakout series released in 2021. The actor has also received major accolades: in January 2022, he won Best Supporting Actor in the TV category at the 79th Golden Globe Awards in the United States, elevating his status on the global awards circuit.

The Supreme Court ruling therefore carries significance not only as a legal resolution for the defendant, but also as a high-stakes moment for the entertainment industry at large—where public perception, fan discourse, and media narratives can evolve quickly alongside judicial outcomes.

Reactions and the gap between legal outcomes and public sentiment

Cases involving alleged sexual misconduct frequently generate polarized responses. Even when courts overturn earlier convictions, survivors’ perspectives and concerns about harm can remain central to public debate, while defense arguments often focus on evidentiary uncertainty and the possibility of distorted recollections.

While the decision legally clears Oh of criminal liability in this matter, it is likely to remain a contentious subject for supporters, critics, and advocacy groups monitoring how courts handle testimony, timelines, and standards of proof in sexual misconduct cases.

What happens next

The Supreme Court’s ruling is final within the ordinary appeals process, meaning Oh’s acquittal should stand. That said, public and industry follow-through—such as how future promotions, streaming presence, and event participation are managed—can still take time, especially given the magnitude of his international profile.

For audiences, the immediate watchpoints are practical rather than procedural: whether Oh will return to public-facing work in South Korea and abroad, and how stakeholders—networks, streaming services, and agencies—choose to address the case in ongoing communications.