Actor Kang Ji Hwan has received his final sentence for the sexual assault and sexual harassment case filed against him.

On June 11, an appeal was held over Kang Ji Hwan's case by the Suwon High Court. The court decided to uphold the original ruling. Last December 5, 2019, the actor was found guilty and was given the sentence of two years and six months imprisonment suspended for three years of probation. He was also ordered to conduct 120 hours of social service, took part in 40 hours of sexual offender treatment, and be restricted from employment for three years.

His sentence means that he is obliged to serve the prison sentence if he commits another offense during his three-year probation period.

Then today, November 5, the Supreme Court upheld the original ruling, which means the actor who was indicted on charges of quasi-rape and quasi-indecent acts by force received a finalized court ruling of two years and six months suspended for three years of probation.

On July 9, 2019, Kang Ji Hwan was seized by police at his home in Gwangju after receiving a complaint that he sexually molested and assaulted two of his agency's female employees at his home. During the investigation, the actor explained that he remembered drinking with them but did not remember what happened afterward. His agency Huayi Brothers issued a statement apologizing for what happened and then sought another actor to replace Kang Ji Hwan in his ongoing drama series.

On July 15, 2019, Kang Ji Hwan admitted to the charges against him and asked for forgiveness from the victims involved. After this, Huayi Brothers decided to end their contract with the actor. Kang Ji Hwan pleaded guilty to committing quasi-rape but denied part of the charges of quasi-indecent acts by force. In case you don't know, quasi-rape applies to cases where a person "engages in sexual intercourse with another person by taking advantage of his or her state of unconsciousness or inability to resist."

During the first trial held in September 2019, it was revealed that the actor had offered the victims a settlement before the trial, but they refused to take the settlement.

The victim "A" claimed that Kang Ji Hwan had attacked them while they were intoxicated and unconscious. However, Kang Ji Hwan's defended himself and claimed that he has proof that the victim "A" sent a KakaoTalk message to another person during that time. And as for victim "B," she was intoxicated and asleep, but she was capable of resisting.

Former South Korean actor Kang Ji-hwan was born as Jo Tae-gyu on March 20, 1977. The 43-year-old former actor started his career as a musical actor and eventually joined television dramas such as Be Strong, Geum-soon! (2005), Capital Scandal (2007), and Hong Gil-dong (2008), as well as the films Rough Cut (2008) and My Girlfriend Is an Agent (2009).

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Written By: Sam Yap