K-pop idol Moon Tae-il, popularly known as Taeil, pleaded guilty to rape charges at a Seoul court on Wednesday, June 18. According to Koreaboo, the prosecutors have demanded a seven-year prison sentence against him.
The first trial of Taeil’s sex crime case took place on Wednesday, a year after the incident occurred.
In February 2025, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office’s Women and Children’s Crime Investigation Division 1 indicted Taeil along with his two accomplices. They were charged with rape under the Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.
In June 2024, the South Korean singer also faced accusations of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman. Taeil and the two other accused admitted guilt to the rape after being prosecuted for these allegations on Wednesday.
The prosecution has also asked for a seven-year prison term for each accused.
According to the South Korean portal, mk.co.kr, the prosecution mentioned that they had doubts regarding the surrender of the defendants after two months of investigation.
The report quoted the prosecution as saying, “The defendants are considering taking into account the sentencing with their own letters, but it is difficult to say that this is a true surrender. After two months of police investigation, the defendants were identified and raided, and after that, they submitted their own letters.”
“It is an inappropriate argument to consider sentencing for each other. Especially, it does not fall under the legal requirements. It undermines the meaning of embroidery,” the report added.
Taeil conducted a live SNS broadcast and communicated with fans in June 2024 after he was booked for the crime. He expressed gratitude towards NCTzen (fandom name) for being “able to have such a happy birthday.” The singer also attended a fan meeting in August, the same year, on the eighth anniversary of NCT (Neo Culture Technology) 127’s debut.
In August 2024, SM Entertainment made an announcement that Taeil would no longer be a member of NCT. The K-Pop star was later removed as an artist from the company.
Taeil made his debut as NCT’s first unit, NCT U, in 2016. He was a member of NCT and NCT 127.