Former NCT Member Taeyil Sentenced to 7 Years for Sexual Assault

Taeyil (태일), a former member of the K-pop group NCT, has been sentenced to seven years in prison following a sexual assault case. The 31-year-old, whose real name is Moon Taeyil (문태일), acknowledged the charges against him but pleaded for leniency during the trial.

On June 18, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 26, presided over by Judge Lee Hyun-kyung, held the first hearing for Taeyil and two accomplices, who are also facing charges of aggravated sexual assault under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act. The prosecution described the incident as a serious crime, stating that the defendants collectively assaulted a foreign female tourist, and requested a seven-year prison sentence for each of them, along with mandatory participation in sexual violence treatment programs, public disclosure of their identities, and employment restrictions.

The charges stem from an incident on June 13 of last year, when Taeyil and his accomplices allegedly assaulted a Chinese tourist, referred to as A, at the residence of one of the accomplices in the Bangbae-dong area of Seocho-gu, Seoul. According to the prosecution, the trio met A at a bar in Itaewon around 2:33 AM, and after she became heavily intoxicated, they took her to the residence where the assault occurred.

The prosecution further argued that the defendants attempted to obscure the crime scene by suggesting to take A to a different location before sending her home, indicating an intention to prevent her from remembering the location or being tracked by the police. They also questioned the defendants' claim that the assault was spontaneous, stating that bringing a stranger to one's home at 2 AM is not a reasonable action.

During the proceedings, Taeyil's lawyer noted that the victim had accepted an apology and expressed a desire not to pursue further legal action. Taeyil himself expressed remorse in his final statement, apologizing to those he disappointed and stating that if granted leniency, he would consider it a last chance to contribute positively to society.

The court's ruling for Taeyil and his accomplices is scheduled for July 10. Taeyil debuted with NCT in 2016 under SM Entertainment and was active in sub-units NCT U and NCT 127. Following the revelation of the incident, SM Entertainment announced in August that they had decided to terminate Taeyil's participation in the group due to the severity of the situation.