NCT’s Taeil pleads guilty to rape charges, faces 7-year prison sentence

Over a year after SM Entertainment terminated Moon Taeil’s contract as a member of the boy band NCT amid a serious crime, the K-pop artist has now admitted guilt. During his first court appearance on June 18, 2025, Taeil, along with two co-defendants, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated rape, as reported by Star News. The victim, identified as a Chinese national, encountered the accused in Itaewon, Seoul, on June 13, 2024. Prosecutors revealed troubling text messages exchanged between the accused before and after the assault. Authorities are seeking a seven-year prison sentence for Taeil and the others involved.

During the final hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court, prosecutors called for the court to sentence Taeil and the co-defendants — identified by their surnames Lee and Hong — to seven years in prison each. In addition, they requested a court-ordered treatment program, the release of the defendants’ personal details, and a 10-year restriction on employment involving minors, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.

“The defendants gang-raped a foreign tourist in an unfamiliar situation, making this a very serious crime that demonstrates extremely poor character,” prosecutors said, as quoted by Korea JoongAng Daily.

All three men, including Taeil, admitted to the charges during Wednesday’s hearing. When asked by the court whether he acknowledged the allegations, Taeil said:

“I admit to all the charges.” The indictment states that the incident took place around 4 a.m. on June 13, 2023, at Lee’s residence in Bangbae-dong, southern Seoul. The victim — a Chinese tourist — reportedly became intoxicated at a bar in Itaewon, where she met the defendants by chance. The three men allegedly took her to Lee’s home via taxi and committed the assault while she was unable to stand.

Afterward, they moved her to a different location and sent her away in a cab. Prosecutors cited a text message from Hong to Lee at the time: “Go out and put her in a cab. Make sure it’s a different place [from your home].”

Prosecutors argued that the defendants “appeared to have intentionally used the fact that the victim was a foreigner to prevent her from remembering the location of the assault or helping police trace the crime.” The investigation, led by the Bangbae Police Precinct, included interviews and CCTV analysis and took nearly two months to identify the suspects. While the three men submitted statements of self-surrender in August, prosecutors questioned their sincerity:

“It took the police two months of relentless investigation to identify the suspects and execute search warrants. The subsequent submission of surrender statements raises questions as to whether they can be considered genuine acts of voluntary confession as defined by law.”

They also mentioned the defendants’ claim that the act was not premeditated: “The defendants claim the act was unplanned, but it is questionable whether taking a stranger to a villa in Bangbae-dong at 2 a.m. makes any sense. If the crime was unplanned, there was no reason to act in such a way.”

Taeil’s lawyer said the former idol “is acutely aware of the deep scar he has inflicted on the victim’s life and is deeply remorseful.” The lawyer added: “He had no intention of committing the crime and only planned to drink more after leaving the bar.”

In his final court statement, Taeil said:

“I most deeply regret and feel sorry for the harm I caused the victim. I also apologize to everyone who was disappointed in me. If given leniency, I will consider it my last chance in life and do my best to contribute to society in any way I can.”

Taeil and the others were indicted without detention on February 28 on charges of “special quasi-rape” under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. This charge applies when sexual assault or molestation is committed by multiple people, or by someone using a weapon, against a victim who is unconscious or unable to resist.

Taeil debuted with NCT in 2016 as part of the NCT U and NCT 127 subunits. SM Entertainment terminated his exclusive contract in October 2024 following the allegations.