
K-pop star and ex-NCT member Taeil sentenced in rape case: Reports
Taeil, 31, along with two other men, was sentenced for an assault that occurred in 2024, The New York Times and BBC report. All three men pleaded guilty to the rape, which targeted a Chinese tourist, according to the outlets.
The men are accused of taking the woman from a bar in Seoul, South Korea, to one of the men's homes, where they assaulted her while she was heavily intoxicated. Prosecutors sought a seven-year sentence, but a district judge handed down a sentence half that amount, noting the men were first-time offenders, the outlets report.
NCT member Taeil leaves K-pop group following sexual offense allegations
Their crime was classified in South Korea as "special quasi-rape," which pertains to certain instances in which a victim is unconscious at the time of assault. All three men were taken into custody immediately and also mandated to complete a 40-hour training program for sexual violence.
Following the accusations being made public, Taeil, whose legal name is Moon Tae-il, exited NCT in August. The group, a popular boy band in South Korea, was formed in 2016. In a statement posted to X at the time, NCT's agency SM Entertainment wrote: "We recognized the seriousness of the issue, and we have decided that Taeil can no longer continue team activities."
NCT has remained intact as a group, under the umbrella of SM Entertainment, one of the country's largest K-pop labels. A 20-plus collective, the group is broken down into several different sub-units, including NCT 127, to which Taeil belonged.

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Newsweek
26 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Fake Police Scam Targets Chinese International Students, FBI Warns
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Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
At KCON, fans from around the world dance with their favorite K-pop idols — and each other
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Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
SM Entertainment Stock Jump August 4: BoA, Aespa, Chanyeol Comebacks
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