Moon Taeil, 31, ex-member of the popular K-popband NCT 127 was handed a sentence of 3 years and 6 months in jail on Thursday, July 10, where he pleaded guilty to being involved in the group rape of an intoxicated tourist.
The judgement was passed by the Seoul Central District Court, only a month after Taeil pleaded guilty to the two counts of special quasi-rape, which is considered one of the severe crimes in South Korea when several perpetrators have sex with an individual who cannot give consent because of unconsciousness or drunkenness.
The internationally popular NCT franchise of SM Entertainment brought Taeil to stardom and was convicted together with two unknown people. The three were charged with beating a Chinese tourist who had been in South Korea in 2024.
What Happened?
Court documents released to international media by BBC, The Korea Herald, and The New York Times state that Taeil and the others found the woman in a bar in Itaewon, a famous entertainment area in Seoul.
She was then reportedly taken to one of their houses where she was raped whilst intoxicated in a drunken stupor after a few rounds of drinks.
Judge Lee Hyun-kyung said when sentencing the defendants, explaining that they had had turns to engage in sexual acts with the victim, who was in a serious state of intoxication and could not fight back. The crime is especially serious in its nature.
The court also gave attention to the psychological trauma that the victim might have endured adding that the latter was a foreigner in a strange land without family or support.
The judge added that it was a case of a foreign tourist who was attacked in a strange setting and, therefore, the victim must have suffered seriously psychologically.
Lighter Punishment in Despite of Severe Charges
In spite of the fact that the prosecutors initially sought a seven-year sentence, the court cut it in half, considering that this was a first offence by Taeil and other accused people.
Along with the prison sentence, all the three men were given the task of completing 40 hours of the s3xual violence treatment program.
According to South Korean media, Taeil was contrite when going through the process but has yet to publicly apologise to the victim. His lawyers have yet to respond to the question of whether he will appeal his sentence.
Reppercussions of the Scandal
In August 2024, a few months after the allegations were revealed, Taeil was kicked out of NCT. This was answered by SM Entertainment with a statement at the time stating that the group and the label takes the matter seriously with Taeil being removed in any activities of the group.
The label said it had had a talk with Taeil and it was agreed that he would depart the group. We were aware of the fact that the issue was serious.
Since the announcement, Taeil set his social media accounts to be private and he has since been kept out of the spotlight.
Neither the First K-Pop Star to be Convicted of Sexual Crimes
Taeil beliefs resonate with other previous major K-pop scandals regarding sex crimes. In 2021, former Big Bang member Seungri was handed a three-year sentence after being convicted of brokering prostitution and providing illegal gambling.
In a previous instance, singers Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon received a six-year and five-year sentence respectively due to raping unconscious women and uploading illegal videos on the internet.
Such cases have rocked the K-pop industry, which is normally promoted around the world as a squeaky-clean and highly polished entertainment.
Fans, including a huge number of young people who are extremely interested in the personal lives of their stars, have been shocked and dismayed by the succession of severe crimes.
Who is Moon Taeil?
Moon Taeil is a member of the group NCT, which is also called Neo Culture Technology, and he is a vocalist in NCT 127.
Regarded as a strong singer with a shy nature, he took part in numerous hits and albums of the group, being one of the first.
NCT was one of the biggest exports of K-pop, and soon gained a huge international audience in Asia, the U.S., and Europe.
Taeil had also been involved in performances, fan meetings, and album promotions before the allegations appeared. The fact that he left the group and was later convicted has permanently broken his connection with the industry.
What’s Next?
As Taeil continues to serve his sentence, people are now interested in his co-defendants, as well, who were handed down an identical sentence.
The case has likewise rekindled the discussion in South Korea on consent, alcohol, and responsibility, particularly in the nightlife areas such as Itaewon where foreign visitors tend to mix with domestic ones.
On the part of the victim, not much is brought to the fore regarding her status and the intention of taking further legal proceedings. South Korean laws on privacy are stringent when it comes to sexual violence.
Although the sentence was lighter than one anticipated, the judge pointed out that the heinousness of the crime cannot be played down.
Judge Lee ended up concluding that, these acts resulted in a scar that would always be on the victim and such an attitude is unacceptable; this is irrespective of status or being a celebrity.
