K-Pop Star Taeil Sentenced for Rape of Tourist

The case has sparked outrage as many believe the punishment is insufficient compared to the crime's severity.

A well-known K-Pop singer, Taeil, a former member of the boy band NCT, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his involvement in the sexual assault of a Chinese tourist. The ruling, delivered by the Seoul Central District Court, found Taeil, along with two associates, guilty of rape after the trio assaulted the victim while she was intoxicated. Their encounter began when the group met the woman at a bar in Seoul, after which they forced her into a taxi and took her to one of their residences.

Despite the severity of the crime, prosecutors had initially requested a seven-year sentence, indicating that the defendants' actions appeared premeditated. Judge Lee Hyun-kyung emphasized the seriousness of the crime, noting the significant mental anguish inflicted on the victim, who was in a foreign country. As the sentence was handed down, Taeil, 31, showed little reaction, dressed in a simple black t-shirt and slacks, while emotions ran high on social media, with many expressing dissatisfaction over what they regarded as a lenient punishment.