Taeil — a K-pop star who found fame as part of SM Entertainment boy band NCT — will spend three and a half years behind bars after pleading guilty to a rape charge.
According to The New York Times, the 31-year-old performer born Moon Tae-il received the ruling in Seoul Central District Court on Thursday (July 10). He reportedly looked “downcast” in the courtroom as Judge Lee Hyun-kyung read out his sentence, calling his crime “severe” and noting that his victim “likely suffered great mental pain” from his actions.
Taeil pleaded guilty in June of raping a Chinese tourist alongside two other men, who also received the same sentence. The crime took place last year, with the musician and his cohorts sexually assaulting a heavily intoxicated woman they’d met at a bar in Seoul earlier that night after taking her to one of the defendants’ homes via taxi.
The offense — which South Korean law deems “special quasi-rape,” a term reserved for specific cases such as when two or more perpetrators are involved in assaulting an unconscious victim, per the NYT — has a maximum sentence of life in prison. Prosecutors had tried for a seven-year sentence, arguing that the three men had deliberately moved their victim to another location so that she would later struggle to remember details of what happened, but the defendants were ultimately given half that amount.
Taeil and the two other men were reportedly taken into custody immediately after the sentencing. In addition to jail time, they will have to complete a 40-hour sexual violence program.
Billboard has reached out to SM Entertainment for comment.
The development comes almost a year after SM announced that Taeil had been removed from both NCT and sub-unit NCT 127. At the time, the company shared only that the decision had been made due to the performer being accused of a then-unspecified sex crime.
“We have recently learned that TAEIL has been accused of a criminal case related to a sexual offense,” read a statement from SM shared with Billboard in August 2024. “While assessing the facts related to this matter, we recognized the severity of the issue and determined that he can no longer continue team activities.”
“After discussing with TAEIL, it’s been decided that he will withdraw from the team,” continued the statement, which also noted that the star had been fully cooperating with police investigations. “We deeply apologize for the controversy caused by our artist.”
Even before his departure, Taeil’s activities with NCT had been limited for quite some time. In August 2023, he suffered a severe motorcycle accident that necessitated surgery to treat his wounds, leaving him unable to participate in performances and band appearances while he recovered.
NCT 127 hasn’t released music since before Taeil left. The band’s last album, July 2024’s Walk, reached No. 117 on the Billboard 200.
If you or anyone you know is in need of support for victims of sexual violence, reach out to RAINN for free, confidential support via its website or by calling 1-800-656-4673.
