Moon Tae-il, also known by his stage name Taeil, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison by the Seoul Central District Court on July 10, 2025 for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (in this case, Aggravated Rape), as reported by Soompi.
He was found guilty of raping a foreign tourist who was in a helpless condition due to being heavily intoxicated. The verdict also includes an order to attend a 40-hour sexual violence education program, to be registered as a perpetrator of sexual violence, and to be banned from working in environments involving children and adolescents for five years.
The case began in June 2024, when Taeil and two of his friends—with the initials Lee and Hong—met the victim at a bar in the Itaewon area of Seoul. After consuming alcohol together, the victim, a foreign national, was taken unconscious to Lee's residence in Banpo-dong.
There, the three defendants took turns sexually assaulting the victim, who was unable to resist. Investigations revealed that the three took advantage of the victim's unconsciousness to commit the act. In the first trial, held on June 18, 2025, the three defendants admitted all charges.
Prosecutors had sought a seven-year prison sentence and a ten-year work ban. However, the court ultimately decided on a lighter sentence considering that the three were first-time offenders and had reached a settlement with the victim, who also stated that she did not wish to pursue further charges.
However, the court emphasized that the defendants' actions were very serious and had caused deep psychological trauma to the victim, considering that he was a tourist who experienced violence in a foreign country.
Judge Ryu Sung Yeol, who presided over the trial, said, " The defendants admitted to their actions, and based on the available evidence, they were found guilty. The victim was in a helpless state due to the influence of alcohol, and the crime occurred at defendant Lee's residence.
The victim, a foreign tourist, suffered serious psychological trauma from being attacked in an unfamiliar place. " Quoting the Korea Herald on Thursday (July 10, 2025), Taeil himself had filed a request for leniency on the grounds that he had given a written confession to investigators.
However, the court rejected the request, stating, " Because the confession was given after the defendant was searched and seized, it cannot be considered a voluntary surrender and is therefore insufficient to reduce the sentence. "
During the sentencing, Taeil appeared reserved and did not comment when asked by the judge about his detention. Around 20 people, believed to be Taeil's fans, were present in the courtroom to witness the proceedings. This case also had a major impact on Taeil's career in the entertainment industry.
After news of his alleged involvement in the case surfaced in August 2023, SM Entertainment immediately took decisive action by removing him from the group NCT and terminating his contract in October of that year. Taeil first debuted as a member of the unit NCT U in 2016, and later joined the sub-unit NCT 127.
This court decision marks a tragic end to the entertainment career of an idol previously known for his positive public image. The verdict also serves as a stark reminder that the entertainment industry is not immune to legal and moral responsibility for the actions of its artists.
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