Former NCT member Taeil, whose real name is Moon Tae-il, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison by a Seoul district court on Thursday for his role in the gang rape of an intoxicated Chinese tourist, per The Korea Times.
The 31-year-old singer was immediately taken into custody following the ruling, alongside two accomplices identified only as Lee and Hong, who received identical sentences. All three men were found guilty of rape.
A district judge described the crime as “extremely grave” but handed down just half the seven-year sentence requested by prosecutors, noting the defendants were first-time offenders, according to BBC News. The court also mandated each man complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment programming.
The assault occurred in June 2024 when Taeil and his accomplices met their victim at a bar in Seoul’s Itaewon district. According to court proceedings, she became intoxicated after drinking with them before they brought her by taxi to Lee’s home, where the three men sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious.
Under South Korean law, the offense is classified as both “aggravated” rape due to multiple perpetrators and “quasi rape” because the victim was unconscious and could not resist. All three defendants pleaded guilty to the charges in June.
Taeil began his career in 2016 with NCT U, the inaugural unit of SM Entertainment‘s NCT project, before joining the popular subunit NCT 127. NCT launched as a K-pop group in January 2016, gaining recognition for experimental music across multiple genres and achieving international success with Billboard-charting releases.
His career ended abruptly when he departed NCT in August 2024 as allegations surfaced, with the specific criminal details remaining undisclosed to the public at that time. SM Entertainment subsequently terminated his contract.
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