The legal responsibilities and public scrutiny surrounding veteran artists navigating the South Korean judicial system demand precise evidentiary standards and adherence to core legal principles.
On June 26, 2026, South Korea’s Supreme Court delivered a definitive resolution to a multi-year legal dispute that has deeply impacted the late-stage career of internationally acclaimed actor Oh Yeong-su.
The Supreme Court’s Third Division officially dismissed a final appeal submitted by government prosecutors, permanently cementing a lower appellate court’s decision to clear the 82-year-old actor of all charges related to sexual misconduct and indecent assault.
The landmark ruling effectively concludes a highly publicized, complex legal battle that has spanned more than three and a half years since the actor’s initial indictment without detention in late 2022.
By rejecting the prosecution’s challenge, the nation’s highest court verified that the previous acquittal violated no legal doctrines, officially restoring the veteran star’s legal standing after a series of starkly contrasting verdicts across lower judicial levels.
Legal Reversals and the Core Principle of Reasonable Doubt
The criminal case against Oh Yeong-su originated from allegations involving incidents during a regional theater troupe tour in a provincial city back in 2017.
Prosecutors argued that the actor had committed indecent acts by compulsion twice against a female theater member, specifically alleging that he hugged her on a walking path in Daegu and kissed her on the cheek in front of her residence.
While the actor consistently denied the allegations- explaining that he had merely held her hand briefly to guide her along a lakeside path- the initial trial court found him guilty in March 2024.
The district court originally handed him an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, alongside a mandate to complete 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program.
However, the legal narrative shifted dramatically when the case moved to the appellate court level.
Upon reviewing the depth of the testimony, the appeals court completely overturned the criminal conviction and ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The appellate judges determined that while it was possible the veteran actor had engaged in inappropriate words or behaviors, the victim’s memory may have grown distorted over the years, making the exact physical intensity and criminal intent of the interactions impossible to verify objectively.
The appellate court clarified its constitutional stance at the time, establishing a legal framework that the Supreme Court ultimately upheld:
“The victim’s memory may have been distorted over time, and when there is doubt, the benefit of the doubt must be given to the defendant.”
Final Supreme Court Dismissal and the Legacy of the “Kkanbu Grandfather”
Dissatisfied with the sudden reversal, the prosecution filed a final appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that the appellate body had misinterpreted established statutes regarding indecent assault.
In its final ruling, the Supreme Court’s Third Division firmly rejected the prosecution’s arguments, declaring their grounds for appeal unlawful and officially finalizing the acquittal.
The top court’s decision noted that the victim’s claim regarding the embrace did not clearly establish how it crossed the boundary of a standard professional interaction, reinforcing that a criminal conviction cannot rest on ambiguity.
The prolonged judicial process has extracted a heavy professional toll on Oh Yeong-su, who achieved unprecedented global fame as the elderly contestant Oh Il-nam, affectionately dubbed the “Kkanbu Grandfather,” in the hit 2021 Netflix series Squid Game.
His standout performance earned him historic distinction as the first South Korean actor to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2022.
Following his indictment, major domestic broadcasters like KBS implemented strict appearance bans, his cultural advertisement contracts were pulled, and his acting endeavors were placed on a total temporary freeze.
With the Supreme Court permanently clearing his name, the veteran actor is finally free of the legal cloud that obscured his historic international achievements, though his immediate return to the entertainment industry remains subject to public reception following years of heavy legal documentation.
