South Korean actor O Yeong-su, who's in the first season of the hit Netflix series, Squid Game, has been convicted of sexual assault charges, a local court said Friday, 15 March.

Additional reports said the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District released the sentence, which included up to eight months of imprisonment and a suspension of two years.

The 79-year-old actor will also be required to complete 40 hours of classes regarding sexual violence.

After releasing the court's decision, O Yeong-su denied the charges and said he would appeal his case.

In 2021, a complaint was filed against the actor by an unidentified woman, accusing him of making unwanted physical contact during a meeting in 2017.

O Yeong-su later claimed in an interview with the South Korean media outlet JTBC that he held the woman's hands as he wanted "to show her the way" around the lake.

It was also reported that the actor apologized to the woman not because he was guilty of inappropriate behavior but because the woman assured him that she wouldn't make a fuss about the issue if he made the apology.

Womenlink, a women's rights organization in South Korea, expressed delight over the court ruling on O Yeong-su's case.

"We demand that the perpetrator not proceed with the appeal and apologize to the victim," the group said on X.

They also hope that the actor's indictment could help stop the sexual violence in the theater industry.

O Yeong-su made history after winning at the Golden Globes in 2022 for his role as Oh Il-nam, an elderly contestant in the deadly game who turns out to be the top antagonist in the dystopian series.