Korean actor Oh Yeong-Su, 79, best known for his Golden Globe-winning role as ‘Player 001’ in K-drama Squid Game, will be replaced in his upcoming film, Big Family.
In late 2022, the actor was accused of sexual harassment. He had allegedly groped and kissed a woman in his theatre troupe without consent in 2017.
At the case’s first trial last year, the actor denied all charges made against him and insisted that he had simply “held [the woman’s] hand to guide the way”.
Last week, the prosecutors for the case had requested for Yeong-Su to be sentenced to one year in prison, with the verdict set to be announced on Mar 15.
The production team for Big Family has announced that Yeong-Su will be edited out of all the scenes he had filmed for the movie, and will be replaced by veteran actor, Lee Soon Jae, 89.
The film, which also stars Lee Seung Gi, was slated to hit theatres this year, but may be delayed now in the wake of Yeong-Su’s exit.
The second season of Squid Game is set to be released some time this year. The actor is not expected to return as his character had died from a brain tumour.