Former NCT Member Moon Taeil Sentenced 3.5 Years Prison Rape South Korea

Moon Taeil, a former member of the K-pop group NCT, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for aggravated rape involving a heavily intoxicated foreign woman in Seoul's Itaewon district. The court found that Taeil and two accomplices assaulted the victim at a private residence after meeting her at a bar and transporting her while she was unconscious, describing the crime as serious and aggravated due to the victim's incapacitation and group involvement. Despite Taeil's public apology and attempts at private settlement, the court imposed a custodial sentence, a 40-hour sexual violence rehabilitation program, public disclosure of their identities, and a five-year ban from working in child- and youth-related institutions. Prosecutors had sought a seven-year sentence, but the reduced term has sparked public outrage and disappointment. Taeil, who left NCT in August 2024 following allegations, was immediately taken into custody after the verdict. SM Entertainment had terminated his contract after the charges emerged, emphasizing a loss of trust.