Ex-NCT member Taeil sentenced to 3.5 years for gang rape

K-pop singer taken into custody after court rules on group sexual assault of intoxicated Chinese tourist

Moon Tae-il, formerly of boy band NCT (SM Entertainment)

Moon Tae-il, also known as Taeil and a former member of NCT, was sentenced on Thursday to three years and six months in prison for raping an intoxicated woman, in a case that involved two accomplices.

The Seoul Central District Court found Moon guilty of special quasi-rape under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. The charge applies when two or more perpetrators jointly engage in sexual acts with a victim who is unconscious or unable to resist. The co-defendants, surnamed Lee and Hong, were handed the same prison term.

All three men were taken into custody immediately following the ruling. The court also ordered each to complete 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program.

“The defendants took turns committing sexual acts against the victim, who was severely intoxicated and unable to resist. The nature of the crime is particularly grave,” the court said. “As a foreign tourist assaulted in an unfamiliar environment, the victim likely experienced significant psychological distress.”

However, the court took into account that all three were first-time offenders, admitted to the charges and reached a settlement with the victim, who no longer wished to pursue criminal punishment.

The case stems from an incident in June last year in Itaewon, a nightlife district in Seoul, where Moon and his acquaintances met the woman at a bar. After drinking together, she became heavily intoxicated and Moon helped her into a taxi with Lee, who took her to his home. Moon and Hong followed separately, and the assault took place at Lee’s residence.

Prosecutors last month had sought a seven-year sentence for each defendant during the trial. Moon admitted to all charges at the first hearing.

SM Entertainment, Moon’s former agency, announced his departure from NCT in October, stating at the time: “Given the gravity of the matter, we determined that he could no longer continue group activities.”

Moon debuted in 2016 with NCT’s first unit, NCT U, and later joined the subunit NCT 127.