“Squid Game” Actor Banned From Appearing On KBS Due To Sexual Harassment Allegations

On May 28th, Star News reported that KBS has temporarily banned Oh Young-soo from appearing on their programs. This decision was made after a broadcast appearance regulation review committee meeting held by KBS on May 13th.

During his stay in Daegu for the August 2017 performances of the play “King Lear”, Oh Young-soo hugged victim A while they were taking a walk together. Additionally, he was accused of force harassment for kissing A on the cheek in front of their residence in September.

In November 2022, the public learned about Oh Young-soo’s alleged involvement in a case of forced harassment. A, who had previously demanded an apology from Oh Young-soo after he gained fame through Netflix’s popular series “Squid Game”, decided to file a complaint when the actor denied the accusations.

Afterward, Oh Young-soo confessed to taking a stroll with A and going to A’s home, but refuted the accusation of forced harassment.

In February, the prosecution argued that in 2017, the defendant caused the victim frustration through expressing inappropriate desires, such as saying “I think of you as a woman.”The defendant later apologized to the victim via text, but continued to evade responsibility by stating “You’re like my daughter.”As a result, the prosecution requested that the court make the actor’s personal information public and impose a one-year employment restriction.

During the sentencing hearing on March 15th, Oh Young-soo was ordered by the court to complete a 40-hour sexual violence treatment program, in addition to receiving a sentence of 8 years in suspended jail and 2 years of probation.

Upon explaining the rationale behind the sentence, the court stated that Oh Young-soo had confessed to the charges and considered the fact that it was his first offense. As a result, both Oh Young-soo and the prosecution have filed an appeal against the decision.

Afterwards, KBS conducted a screening committee to review TV appearances and determined that Oh Young-soo should not be featured on their programs. It is possible that the guidelines were reinforced following the confirmation of Oh Young-soo’s sentence.

At the age of 79, Oh Young-soo was born in 1944 and has been involved in theater and voice acting since the 1960s. In 2021, he gained recognition for his portrayal of Oh Il-nam in Netflix’s “Squid Game”and made history as the first Korean to win the Best Supporting Actor in TV at the 79th Golden Globe Awards.