South Korea’s Supreme Court has officially upheld the original prison sentence against former NCT member Taeil, rejecting his final appeal and bringing the case to a legal conclusion.
The case dates back to June of last year, when Taeil and two co-defendants, identified as Mr. Lee and Mr. Hong, were charged with aggravated quasi-rape under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. The three men were accused of sexually assaulting a woman who was intoxicated and unconscious at the time of the incident. All defendants admitted to the charges during the initial trial.
In July, the court sentenced each defendant to three years and six months in prison. Although the ruling was immediately appealed, the Seoul High Court dismissed the appeal in October, affirming the original judgment. Taeil and the other defendants then brought the case before the Supreme Court in a final attempt to overturn the verdict.
On December 26, the Supreme Court ruled that there were no legal grounds to reconsider the case and denied the appeal, thereby upholding the original prison sentence. The court also confirmed additional penalties, including the completion of 40 hours of a sex offender treatment program and a five-year ban on employment at institutions related to children, adolescents, and people with disabilities.
Taeil, who debuted as a member of NCT in 2016, officially departed from the group in August 2024 after SM Entertainment acknowledged the sexual assault allegations against him. With the Supreme Court’s ruling, the case has now reached its final legal resolution.
