Former Male Idol on Trial for Group Sexual Assault of Intoxicated Woman

“He did not commit the crime in a premeditated manner. He voluntarily turned himself in to the authorities and withdrew from his group. He is currently reflecting on his wrongdoing while in detention.”

The defense stated this in court, appealing for leniency toward the defendant.

On September 17, the first hearing of the appeal trial for Taeil (31), a former member of the popular male idol group NCT, was held at the Seoul High Court in South Korea. Taeil and two other men have been charged with aggravated rape.

“The incident occurred in the early hours of June 13, 2024. Taeil and the two other men were drinking at a bar in Itaewon, a busy district in Seoul. There, they met the victim, Ms. A, a female foreign tourist. After being given alcohol by the men, Ms. A became heavily intoxicated. She was then taken by taxi to one of the perpetrators’ homes, where she was allegedly sexually assaulted by the group.

After Taeil turned himself in to the police and was questioned, his agency announced his withdrawal from the group and the termination of his contract. In the first trial held in July this year, he was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, along with 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program. However, Taeil’s side appealed the ruling, claiming that the sentence was too severe,” a reporter from a Korean newspaper said.

Our living situation is also in hardship

At the beginning of the appeal trial, defendant Taeil expressed remorse, saying he would atone for his crime for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, the defense argued for leniency in court, stating:

“The incident was a momentary lapse in judgment, and he deeply regrets it. As a public figure, he has long engaged in charitable donations and volunteer work. Because of this incident, both he and his family are now struggling financially.”

However, the prosecution harshly criticized Taeil, stating that the crime was grave and malicious, and the first trial’s sentence was excessively lenient, and demanded a seven-year prison sentence.

Lee So-yeon, a writer familiar with the Korean entertainment industry, explained:

“Taeil was known for his strong vocal ability and had been accepted into the prestigious practical music program at Hanyang University. However, he became a trainee at the persuasion of his agency and debuted in April 2016 as the main vocalist of NCT U, a sub-unit of NCT.

He was skilled in cooking, and his cooking videos were very popular online. Although he had a motorcycle accident in August 2023, he had no particular negative reputation. The sexual assault case allegedly committed by the mild-mannered Taeil has shocked not only his fans but also many people in South Korea.”

The verdict for the appeal trial is scheduled to be delivered on October 17.