#SHOWBIZ: Former K-pop singer Taeil admits to rape charge, might face 7 years in jail
SEOUL: Taeil, formerly of the K-pop boy band NCT, admitted on June 18 to rape charges stemming from an incident in 2024 involving an intoxicated woman.
Prosecutors have requested a seven-year prison sentence.
According to The Korea Herald yesterday, Taeil, 31, and two accomplices faced trial at the Seoul Central District Court for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.
They are charged with special quasi-rape, which applies when two or more individuals engage in sexual acts with someone who is unconscious or unable to resist.
A conviction for this charge carries a minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum of life imprisonment.
When asked by the judge if he acknowledged the charges, Taeil replied, "I admit to all the charges."
His two co-defendants also pleaded guilty.
The court has scheduled the sentencing hearing for July 10.
The indictment states that Taeil, whose full name is Moon Tae-il, and his acquaintances met a Chinese woman in Itaewon, Seoul, in June 2024.
The woman became heavily intoxicated after drinking with them.
Taeil reportedly helped escort her out of the bar and placed her in a taxi with one of the co-defendants, identified as Lee, sending her to Lee's home.
Taeil and another friend, Hong, followed in a separate vehicle.
The alleged assault took place at Lee's residence.
Taeil was questioned by the police in August 2024, and his then-agency, SM Entertainment, subsequently released a statement announcing his departure from NCT.
He was indicted for alleged sexual assault in October 2024.
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