K-pop singer sentenced to 3-year imprisonment for rape

International

SOUTH Korean singer Moon Tae-il, popularly known as Taeil and formerly a member of the K-pop group NCT, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison for his involvement in a rape case.

Taeil, 31, along with two other men identified in local reports as Lee and Hong, admitted to sexually assaulting a Chinese tourist in Seoul. The incident occurred after they met the woman at a bar in the Itaewon district, a report by BBC said.

According to the court, the victim became heavily intoxicated while drinking with the men and was later taken to Lee’s residence where the assault took place.

The Seoul district court labeled the case as “extremely grave” but imposed a sentence significantly lower than the seven years sought by prosecutors, citing the fact that the defendants were first-time offenders. In addition to the prison term, all three were ordered to complete 40 hours of a rehabilitation program for sex offenders.

Under South Korean law, the crime is classified as “aggravated quasi rape” due to the group nature of the assault and the victim’s unconscious state at the time.

Taeil left NCT in August 2024 after initial allegations surfaced, though the full extent of the crime was not disclosed publicly until recently.

NCT, which debuted in 2016 is known for its diverse musical styles and international popularity, with several hits making it to the Billboard charts.(Jeanette Arinque, HNU Comm Intern)