'Oh Young-soo' acquitted on appeal... will KBS's ban on appearances continue?
Actor Oh Young-soo was banned from appearing by broadcasters after being found guilty in the first trial on charges of sexual assault, but attention has returned to the gap between the verdict and regulation after he was acquitted on appeal.
On the afternoon of the 11th, the 6th Criminal Appeals Division of the Suwon District Court overturned the lower court's decision and acquitted Oh Young-soo. The bench said, "There are questions about the timing when the victim received counseling and other support after the incident and the consistency of the statements," but added, "Because memories may have been distorted as time passed, the interpretation must be favorable to the defendant."
The victim's side immediately expressed strong regret, saying, "The judiciary must responsibly examine what message this ruling sends about sexual violence and hierarchical structures."
Earlier, after Oh Young-soo was found guilty in the first trial, he was banned from appearing by KBS. KBS said it held a review committee on appearance regulations and decided to ban appearances effective May 13, 2024. Previously it had been at the level of a 'recommendation to refrain from casting,' but the regulatory level was raised after the guilty verdict. The official expiration date of the measure has not been disclosed.
With the acquittal, attention is focused on the possibility of Oh Young-soo returning to broadcast appearances. Some point out, "Continuing the ban despite an acquittal is inconsistent with the removal of the reason for regulation." Conversely, others say, "Broadcasters may maintain regulations from the perspective of social responsibility." An industry source said, "If producers or broadcasters request it or new facts emerge after the ruling, the review committee can be convened again."
Meanwhile, Oh Young-soo gained great domestic and international affection for his role as 'Oh Il-nam' in the 2021 Netflix series Squid Game Season. However, after being indicted on charges of sexual assault, works in which he appeared were edited out and he suffered damage to his image.
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