K-pop singer and former member of the South Korean band NCT Taeil has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison for the rape of a Chinese tourist.
Moon Tae-il, known mononymously as Taeil, and his two accomplices, named only by the surnames as Lee and Hong in South Korean media, in June pleaded guilty.
According to the New York Times, a district judge in Seoul described the crime as "severe". Their target "likely suffered great mental pain from being a victim in an unfamiliar place", Judge Lee Hyun-kyung said as she read aloud the sentence.
Prosecutors said it appeared that the suspects had deliberately moved the victim to another location so it would be hard for her to recall details of the attack.
While the initial requested sentence was of seven years, the judge gave the convicts a reduced sentence of 3 years and 6 months on the prosecutors's request as they were first-time offenders.
The court also ordered the three men to complete 40 hours of a treatment programme designed for perpetrators of sexual violence, a BBC report stated.
The trio had met the victim at a bar in Seoul's Itaewon district, which is famous for its nightlife, culinary scene and shopping experience.
The victim drank with the three men and became "heavily intoxicated", following which they got into a taxi to Lee's house, where the assault took place.
South Korean law describes this specific kind of rape as "aggravated" because it was a group attack, and a "quasi rape", as the victim was unconscious.
According to South Korean media, 31-year-old Taeil exited NCT in August 2024 after the allegations first surfaced. The band's agency SM Entertainment terminated his contract later.
SM Entertainment had made the announcement in a statement.
"This is SM Entertainment. We have recently confirmed that Taeil has been implicated in a criminal case related to sexual crimes. While looking into the situation, we recognised that the issue is very serious, and we have decided that Taeil could no longer continue team activities.
"We have discussed this matter with Taeil and it has been decided he will be removed from the group. Currently, Taeil is faithfully cooperating with the police investigation. We will share additional statements as the investigation progresses. We deeply apologise for the controversy caused by our artist."
Taeil also made his Instagram account private after the allegations emerged.