Actor Oh Young Soo, best known worldwide for his role as the kindhearted Grandpa Gganbu in Netflix’s hit series Squid Game, has been acquitted of sexual assault charges on appeal.
On November 11, the 6th Criminal Appeals Division of the Suwon District Court, presided over by Judges Kwak Hyung Seop, Kim Eun Jung, and Kang Hee Kyung, overturned the initial conviction and found Oh not guilty.
The court stated that the possibility of the victim’s memory being distorted over time could not be ruled out, emphasizing that when reasonable doubt exists, the verdict must favor the defendant. After the ruling, Oh expressed gratitude, saying he deeply respected the court’s wise judgment.
The alleged victim, however, quickly denounced the verdict through a statement released by the Korean Women’s Association, asserting that a not guilty ruling does not erase the truth or the pain endured.
The case originated from a 2017 incident in which Oh was accused of making unwanted physical contact with a fellow theater troupe member during a regional tour. In the first trial, he was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, before appealing the decision.
