On the 18th, Taeyil (real name Moon Taeyil), a former member of the SM Entertainment idol group NCT, acknowledged all charges in the first hearing of a case in which he is accused of sexually assaulting a woman who was intoxicated along with an acquaintance. The prosecution has sought a seven-year prison sentence for Taeyil. The first-instance judgment is scheduled to be announced on July 10.
On the same day, the 26th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (presided over by Director General Lee Hyun-kyung) held the first public trial date for Taeyil and two other defendants, who were charged with violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes (special rape). Earlier, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office had indicted Taeyil and two accomplices without detention in February on charges of special rape under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act. Charges of special rape apply when two or more individuals engage in sexual intercourse with someone who is incapacitated.
Taeyil, dressed in black, appeared in court that day and, when asked about his identity, answered, "I used to be a singer but was expelled from the company and am currently doing light part-time work."
According to the prosecution, on June 13 last year, Taeyil, along with two acquaintances, met the victim woman for the first time at a bar in Itaewon, where they drank alcohol and then took the victim to an acquaintance’s home. It was investigated that they sexually assaulted the victim, who had passed out and was lying down after being excessively intoxicated.
The court noted, "The defendants acknowledged all the facts of the indictment in the opinion statement submitted before the trial." The court then asked Taeyil, "Do you acknowledge the facts of the indictment?" to which Taeyil replied, "I acknowledge it."
Taeyil's attorney reportedly claimed in the opinion statement that it was an unintentional crime. Additionally, the attorney noted that Taeyil and the other defendants had voluntarily surrendered that day, received a non-prosecution statement from the victim after reaching an agreement, and emphasized the absence of a criminal record while asking the court for leniency.
The prosecution sought a seven-year prison sentence for Taeyil and the two defendants on that day. They stated, "After the incident, the police persistently tracked the suspects for two months, identified them, and after conducting a search of the defendants' mobile phones, they submitted surrender documents," adding, "It raises doubts whether this was a genuine surrender."
In his final statement, Taeyil expressed, "I deeply regret and am sorry for the significant harm I have caused to the victim," adding, "I also feel very sorry to all those who are disappointed in me." He continued, "If granted leniency, I believe it is the last chance given to me in my life, and I will do my utmost to contribute to society in any way possible."
Taeyil debuted in 2016 as part of the first unit group NCT U under SM Entertainment. He continued to be active as a member of NCT but was expelled from the team and the exclusive contract was terminated by the agency in August last year amid controversies surrounding his sexual crime.