South Korean hit show Squid Game is facing scrutiny for casting Lee Jin-wook in its second season after the actor was accused of rape and countersued the alleged victim.
The controversy surrounding the actor's casting reignited on Friday (September 20) when Netflix released the trailer for the second season of the survival thriller.
Highlights
- Squid Game 2 is facing backlash for casting Lee Jin-wook, who was accused of rape in 2016 and countersued the alleged victim.
- Lee Jin-wook's rape accusation led to controversy as the victim was first found not guilty, then later sentenced to 8 months in prison for false allegations.
- South Korea's rape laws require proof of violence or intimidation, making it challenging to prosecute non-consensual sex that does not involve physical violence.
In July 2016, Lee was accused of sexual assault by a 33-year-old woman who alleged that the actor had raped her after they drank together at her apartment.
The woman, identified by the surname Oh, submitted to police the underwear that she claimed contained Lee's semen and a photo of a scar that she claimed he left while attempting to rape her.
Image credits: netflixkr
Oh consistently insisted during questioning that the sex was not agreed on and that she vividly expressed how shameful she felt afterward, The Korea Times reported.
Lee responded by filing a countersuit for false allegations.
During the investigation—which involved a lie detector, according to the outlet—the accuser reportedly admitted that her testimony was false.
"It is true she confessed to false allegations," police said at the time. "She made the admission after we went through her statement and found no evidence of the alleged sexual assault."
Lee was accused of rape in July 2016 by a 33-year-old woman who alleged that the actor assaulted her after they had drinks at her house
Image credits: jinuk0916
However, during an interview with The Fact, she claimed that the police had coerced her into saying she had not been sexually assaulted.
The woman was declared not guilty of making false allegations a year later.
"Even from Lee's statements, it appeared he neither asked her whether she agreed to have sex with him nor she consented to that," the court said. "It is thus plausible that Lee's false accusation charge does not have any evidence."
Then, the actor appealed the verdict in court.
In 2018, the original verdict was overturned by the 2nd Criminal Appeals Division of the Seoul Central District Court, and the woman was sentenced to eight months in prison on charges of false accusations with two years of probation.
Image credits: jinuk0916
Explaining the decision, the court stated that the sexual intercourse had not been "oppressive" enough to be considered rape, despite acknowledging the possibility that Oh may have "secretly" not consented to the act.
"In order to determine if she can be sued for false accusation, we must first look at whether Oh was compelled or intimidated into sexual relations," they wrote.
"It is difficult to completely eliminate the possibility that sexual relations took place against Oh's inner wishes, but it is also not possible to say that oppressive tactics were used.
"As Oh has common sense, she likely knew the difference between sexual relations that one secretly does not want to engage in and rape that occurs with oppressive tactics."
The 43-year-old actor filed a countersuit against the woman, which resulted in her serving eight months in prison
Image credits: tastefullysaucy
Lee's sexual assault case was forwarded to the prosecution, and he was found not guilty after a twenty-day police investigation in August 2016.
"It has deeply embittered us to see the lies being disguised as truths and reported by media outlets. But we restrained ourselves from responding to such lies and waited for the investigation results to uncover the truth."
Korea's criminal law defines the crime of rape as sexual activity against one's will involving "violence or intimidation."
This means that sexual assault under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or a victim saying "no," is not enough for the court to consider the act as rape. Prosecutors must prove that perpetrators used or threatened violence against victims.
Image credits: PopBase
In the past decades, the change from coercion-based to consent-based rape law has been adopted by several countries, mostly in Europe, reflecting United Nations guidelines that favor the latter.
Approximately 0.78% of sexual assault cases in South Korea are pursued by prosecutors for false claims, according to state data, Foreign Policy reported.
The country also has one of the world's toughest laws against false accusers, with sentences of up to 10 years in jail. In the United States and Germany, false allegations are punishable by up to five years in prison.
While Lee was cleared of charges in August 2016, the woman was jailed for false allegations after a judge concluded that the sexual relations had not been "oppressive"
Image credits: jinuk0916
On social media, many people continue to believe Lee is guilty and are criticizing Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk and the producers for casting someone they consider to be a rapist.
"This is insane how they will still glorify those men," one user wrote.
"I'm glad a lot of ppl noticed. It is too easy for men to get away with their crimes," another commented.
"Korea's judiciary makes sexist rulings," a third stated. "South Korea's laws protect perpetrators and oppress victims. I hope the international community recognizes the misogyny in South Korea."
Somebody else added: "None of this is a secret either. All the Netflix execs and cast and crew know what he's done and are still working with him. They are all complicit."
The woman "likely knew the difference between sexual relations that one secretly does not want to engage in and rape that occurs with oppressive tactics," the court stated
Image credits: jinuk0916
A South Korean user called for producers to stop casting actors who have been accused of rape. "There are many male actors in my country who have committed sexual crimes and are still appearing in the media. We need help to make people aware of these crimes and ban these actors from appearing on television."
Lee previously worked with director Hwang Dong-hyuk for the 2014 film Miss Granny.
On social media, people have been calling out the director and producers of the Netflix show for their choice of casting Lee
Image credits: Netflix
"When I heard that the next season was in the works, I eagerly wanted to be a part of it, so I'm excited to have a role and will give my best effort to deliver a great performance," the 43-year-old said of the upcoming season of Squid Game during a recent interview with Homme Singapore.
Since being accused of sexual assault, Lee has been cast in numerous South Korean shows, including the Netflix apocalyptic horror series Sweet Home and the crime thriller Voice. He will also star in the upcoming romance drama Dear Hyeri, set to premiere on September 23.
"I don't know how he still gets work after the allegations," an X user wrote
