Veteran South Korean actor O Yeong-su, best known for his award-winning role in Netflix’s global hit Squid Game, has been acquitted of sexual misconduct charges by an appellate court. The Suwon District Court announced the decision on Tuesday, overturning a previous ruling that had found the 81-year-old guilty of harassment.

The case dates back to 2017, when O was accused of hugging and kissing a woman without her consent during a regional theatre tour. In 2022, a lower court convicted him and sentenced him to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. Prosecutors had sought a one-year jail term, which was also pushed in the appeal.

However, the appellate judges dismissed the conviction, stating that while there were grounds for suspicion, there wasn’t enough evidence to prove the case beyond doubt. The court noted that the woman had sought counselling for sexual violence six months after the alleged incident and that O Yeong-su had apologized at her request. Still, the judges raised concerns about potential inconsistencies in her recollection of events over time and stressed the importance of protecting the defendant’s rights in cases with lingering uncertainty.

The alleged victim expressed disappointment following the verdict. In a statement shared through the women’s rights organization Womenlink, she said, Despite today’s ruling, I will continue to speak the truth to the very end. This decision cannot erase my pain or the reality of what happened.

Womenlink also criticized the court’s judgment, calling it “a decision that once again hides the issue of sexual violence in the theatre industry.

O Yeong-su rose to worldwide fame with his emotional portrayal of Player 001 in Squid Game, a role that earned him a Golden Globe Award in 2022. While his legal battle had cast a shadow over his later career, the new ruling clears his name, at least in the eyes of the law.

Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan Poses With Squid Game Stars Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun