Taeil, a former member of boy band NCT, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and was immediately taken into custody on Thursday.

The Seoul Central District Court issued the ruling the same day to the 31-year-old, whose real name is Moon Tae-il, and two others, surnamed Hong and Lee, on charges of special quasi-rape under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.


Special quasi-rape refers to the act of sexual assault committed by at least two individuals or by one carrying a weapon, against a person who is unable to resist, such as being in a state of unconsciousness.

“The crime is of grave nature, as the defendants sexually assaulted the victim at the defendant Lee’s house by exploiting the fact that she was under the influence and incapable of resistance,” the court said. “We can only assume that the victim, who is a female foreigner, is deeply traumatized.

“However, considering that the defendants are first-time offenders, have acknowledged their crimes and have reached a settlement with the victim, who does not wish for punishment, the defendants are granted leniency with a weaker sentence.”

Taeil was indicted without detention in March following allegations that he and the two others raped the heavily intoxicated victim at Lee’s residence after meeting at a bar in Itaewon, central Seoul. Taeil was removed from NCT and his contract with then-agency, SM Entertainment, was terminated.

Prosecutors had initially requested a seven-year sentence for the three defendants last month.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]