10/07/2025
10/07/2025

SEOUL, July 10: A leading K-pop singer has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of raping an unconscious tourist in Seoul.
Moon Tae-il, known by his stage name “Taeil” during his time with the boyband NCT, admitted in June to sexually assaulting a Chinese tourist he met at a bar in Seoul last year.
According to court documents, Moon and two accomplices encountered the woman in the Itaewon district, where she became heavily intoxicated after drinking with the group. The four then took a taxi to the residence of one accomplice, where the attackers took turns raping the unconscious woman.
The judge described the attack as “extremely grave,” classifying it as aggravated assault due to the involvement of multiple perpetrators. All three men received identical sentences of three and a half years in prison.
In addition to their prison terms, the convicted men are required to complete a 40-hour sexual violence treatment program. They have also been banned from working with children and youth-related institutions for five years. Following the verdict, the defendants were immediately taken into custody.
Moon was dismissed from NCT in August last year after the allegations surfaced, though details were initially sparse. The group is internationally recognized for its genre-crossing experimental music and has charted in countries worldwide, including the United States.
This sentencing arrives amid another investigation involving a Japanese woman in her 50s who allegedly kissed a K-pop star without consent during a meet-and-greet event.
Seoul’s Songpa police station confirmed they requested the fan, who attended an event for Jin, a member of the supergroup BTS, to appear for questioning over a sexual harassment complaint filed last year.
Authorities have withheld the woman’s identity, citing privacy concerns, and stated that the investigation is ongoing.
Social media circulated images and video from the event, showing the 32-year-old star reacting uncomfortably as the fan hugged and appeared to attempt a kiss on his face.
The woman reportedly posted online that her lips touched Jin’s neck and described his skin as “so soft,” according to Yonhap News Agency.
South Korean police, with assistance from Japanese counterparts, reportedly confirmed the woman’s identity. However, she is said to be refusing to cooperate with questioning.