The former NCT member and his two accomplices were charged of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman in June 2024.
Taeil used to be a member of NCT and its sub-units. (Photo Credit: X)
South Korean singer Moon Tae Il, aka Taeil, who was a member of NCT, was accused of sexual assault along with two others in 2024. In the latest development of the case, he has been indicted without detention on charges of special quasi-rape. According to South Korean media outlets, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office’s Women and Children’s Crime Investigation Division 1’s Chief Prosecutor Kim Ji Hye formally charged Taeil and two of his acquaintances under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act on February 28.
The accusations, which left the K-pop industry shaken, date back to June 2024, when the former NCT member and his accomplices were charged of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman. As reported earlier, the woman was of foreign descent and not a minor. Despite the severity of the charges, Taeil did not respond to the prosecution’s summons and cited health concerns as the reason. Moreover, his legal team submitted a medical certificate and a lawyer’s statement. Other suspects involved in the case cooperated with the investigation.
After receiving the victim’s report, the Seoul Bangbae Police Station sought an arrest warrant for Taeil and the two other suspects in June 2024. However, the court denied the request, citing that the accused had already admitted to the assault and that arresting them would be unnecessary.
In August 2024, authorities summoned Taeil for questioning as part of their investigation. A month later, on September 12, 2024, police formally handed the K-pop idol’s case over to the prosecutor on charges of special quasi-rape. Prosecutors claim that the victim was rendered incapable of resistance. Thus, the severe charge of special quasi-rape was levied on the accused. This charge applies in cases where multiple perpetrators or a weapon is used to incapacitate the victim. As news of the case spread, speculations were rife that a weapon was involved in the assault. However, officials found no substantial evidence to support such claims after a thorough investigation.
Meanwhile, NCT officially severed their ties with Taeil in October 2024. Having debuted under the agency SM Entertainment’s boyband in 2016, the singer was part of NCT U and NCT 127 and was removed from the groups, with the agency even releasing a statement. They said, “We have recently learned that Taeil has been accused in a criminal case related to a sexual offence. As we were assessing the facts related to the matter, we recognised the severity of the situation and determined that Taeil can no longer continue his activities with the team (NCT). After discussing with Taeil, we have decided on his departure from the group.”
