A South Korean court sentenced former NCT member Taeil, legally named Moon Tae-il, and two accomplices to three and a half years in prison for the rape of a Chinese tourist.
The 31-year-old singer and his associates, identified only as Lee and Hong in local reports, pleaded guilty in June to assaulting the victim after meeting her at a bar in Seoul’s Itaewon district.
The court described the crime as “extremely grave,” noting the victim was heavily intoxicated and unable to consent during the group attack at Lee’s residence.
The assault occurred after the group met the victim, a Chinese national, at a bar and later took her by taxi to Lee’s home.
South Korean law classifies the offense as “special quasi-rape” due to the victim’s unconscious state and the involvement of multiple perpetrators, carrying a potential life sentence.
Prosecutors had sought a seven-year term, arguing the defendants deliberately moved the victim to obscure details of the attack, but the judge cited their status as first-time offenders in reducing the sentence.
The court also mandated 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program for the three men, who were taken into custody immediately after sentencing.
Taeil left NCT in August 2024 following the allegations, and his management company, SM Entertainment, terminated his contract in October.
Public response on social media has been mixed, with some expressing outrage over the perceived leniency of the sentences, reflecting ongoing concerns about sexual violence cases in South Korea’s entertainment industry.