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Taeil’s Trial Timeline: From Alleged Gang Rape to 7-Year Sentence Request

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The recent developments regarding Taeil, a former member of the K-pop group NCT, who was expelled from both the group and his agency, SM Entertainment, after being charged with special quasi-rape alongside two acquaintances, have drawn significant public attention.

June 13, 2024: The Incident and Police Report

Taeil was reported to the police by the victim, an adult foreign woman referred to as A, on June 13, 2024. According to the prosecution, Taeil and his co-defendants identified as Lee and Hong met the victim at a bar in Itaewon, Seoul, around 2:33 a.m. They drank with her and then took her by taxi to their residence in Bangbae-dong. There, between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m., they allegedly gang-raped her while she was unconscious due to intoxication.

Taeil's Trial Timeline

The prosecution emphasized the severity of the crime, “This case involves the defendants meeting an unfamiliar foreign tourist at an Itaewon club, taking her to their home in Bangbae-dong, and committing group rape. The matter is extremely serious, and the crime is of the utmost severity.”

Just a day after the incident, Taeil held an Instagram Live on his birthday. He told fans, “Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. Thanks to Czennies [NCT’s fandom], I can have such a happy birthday. I’m thinking about what to do for my birthday. I couldn’t hold a birthday party because my schedule is uncertain. I have leg issues and other problems, so I started looking into venue bookings late, and the timing didn’t work out.”

June–September 2024: Police Investigation and Prosecution

Taeil's Trial Timeline 1

Arrest warrants were requested by the Seoul Bangbae Police Station in June but were denied by the court. The court cited the defendants’ admission of guilt as a reason not to detain them. The police first summoned Taeil for questioning on August 28, 2024. He was indicted without detention by the Women and Children Crime Investigation Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on February 28, 2025.

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October 15, 2024: SM Entertainment Terminates Contract

SM Entertainment stated, “Taeil’s exclusive contract was terminated as of October 15, 2024. He is currently under prosecutorial investigation for a criminal case, which constitutes grounds for contract termination. Additionally, we can no longer maintain trust with him as an artist, and after mutual agreement, we decided to terminate the contract.”

June 18, 2025: First Court Hearing

The first trial was held by the 26th Criminal Division (C) of the Seoul Central District Court. Taeil appeared in plain black clothing and said, “I was active as a singer but have been expelled from my agency.” When asked about his occupation, he replied, “I’m doing light part-time work.” His co-defendants described themselves as a former physical therapist and a freelance composer, though both were unemployed at the time.

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The prosecution, citing text messages exchanged during the crime—such as “Take a taxi and get her out. Make it look like it happened somewhere else”—requested a seven-year prison sentence for all three defendants, mandatory disclosure of personal information, and a 10-year employment restriction.

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“This is a grave case involving the group sexual assault of a foreign female tourist, with extremely heinous criminal conduct,” the prosecution stated. “The defendants even discussed sending the victim away in a taxi to a different location to obscure the crime scene and prevent police tracking.”

Defense Argument and Final Statement

Taeil’s defense attorney said, “Due to the impact of this case, Taeil’s mother recently resigned from her job. Taeil is only engaging in minimal economic activity by helping at a friend’s restaurant, making it difficult for his family to sustain their livelihood. Additionally, he has been suffering significant aftereffects from a traffic accident in 2023.”

“Taeil takes this case very seriously and sincerely apologizes for the profound harm caused to the victim. He deeply regrets the scars left on the victim’s life and feels genuine remorse for causing distress to the society that showed him immense love.”

“During the investigation, Taeil expressed his apology through a public defender. While this does not fully heal the victim’s wounds, she graciously accepted his apology and expressed to the authorities her wish not to pursue punishment. Realizing his wrongs, Taeil has completed a sexual offense prevention education program, counseling, and vows not to repeat such mistakes. Reflecting on his actions, he surrendered to the authorities and cooperated fully, providing detailed and honest accounts of the incident to the best of his recollection.”

In his own words, Taeil stated: “I deeply regret and am sincerely sorry for causing great harm to the victim. I also feel deeply sorry to everyone who feels disappointed in me. If granted leniency, I will treat it as the last chance in my life and strive to contribute to society in any way possible.”

The final sentencing hearing for Taeil and his co-defendants is set for July 10, 2025, at 2 p.m.

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