Moon Taeil has received a three and half year sentence, most feel this is too short a sentence for the grave crime he committed. Credit to Han Myung-Gu/WireImage.
Los Angeles, California (July 10, 2025)- Moon Taeil, a former member of the globally recognized K-pop group NCT, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison by the Seoul Central District Court on Thursday, July 10, for his role in a sexual assault case that has shaken fans and the Korean entertainment industry.
The 31-year-old singer, who rose to prominence as part of SM Entertainment’s boy band NCT and its sub-unit NCT 127, pleaded guilty last month to charges of special quasi-rape—a legal term in South Korea that applies to sexual acts committed against an unconscious or incapacitated individual by two or more perpetrators. Taeil was sentenced alongside two other men involved in the crime.
According to court documents and reports from outlets including the BBC, The Korea Herald, and The New York Times, the incident occurred after the men met a Chinese tourist at a bar in Seoul’s Itaewon district. Following an evening of drinking, the victim—described in the indictment as “severely intoxicated and unable to resist”—was taken to a private residence, where the assault occurred.
Presiding Judge Lee Hyun-kyung emphasized the grave nature of the crime in court, stating, “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. As a foreign tourist assaulted in an unfamiliar environment, the victim likely experienced significant psychological distress.”
Prosecutors initially sought a seven-year sentence for each man, but the court reduced the sentence to three and a half years, citing the lack of prior criminal records. All three men are also required to complete 40 hours of a treatment program for sexual violence.
Taeil, once admired for his vocal ability and soft-spoken image, had already faced a career-ending fallout prior to the sentencing. In August 2024, SM Entertainment announced his departure from NCT following the emergence of accusations, stating: “We recognize the seriousness of the issue and have decided that Taeil can no longer continue team activities.”
Once a founding member of NCT, Taeil debuted in 2016 and was known for his involvement in the group’s musical and international success. The allegations and now confirmed conviction mark a stark fall from grace for a once-beloved K-pop figure. Taeil has since made his social media accounts private and withdrawn from public life.
His case joins a troubling pattern in the Korean music industry, where public figures, including former Big Bang member Seungri and artists Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon, have faced prison sentences for crimes related to sexual violence. These repeated offenses have sparked public conversations about accountability, fan culture, and the urgent need for structural change within the K-pop system.
As Taeil begins his prison sentence, the industry is once again forced to reckon with the darker side of fame, power, and unchecked behavior behind the spotlight.
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