K-pop star Moon Tae-il, a former member of boy band NCT, has been indicted for sexually assaulting a woman with two other men. Photo: NCT 127/X
Former member of K-pop boy band NCT, Moon Tae-il, has been indicted for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman with two other men, according to a report by South Korean news outlet Chosun Ilbo on Oct 7.
The 30-year-old, who went by Taeil professionally, was interrogated at Bangbae Police Station in Seoul on special quasi-rape charges. He was subsequently referred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office on Sept 12, though the prosecution has yet to summon him for questioning.
Special quasi-rape involves two or more people collectively assaulting a victim who is unable to resist or incapacitated, or when the sexual assault is committed with the use of a weapon. If convicted, Moon could be sentenced to more than seven years, or even life, in prison.
According to the report, the victim was intoxicated, and the other two men are not public figures.
Moon, who was part of the NCT sub-units of NCT 127 and NCT U, was reported to the police in June and was first questioned on Aug 28. He was the oldest member and the lead vocalist of NCT 127.
The allegations against him were made public on Aug 28, when Moon’s agency SM Entertainment released a statement announcing Moon’s departure from NCT.
It said then that Moon had been accused of a “serious criminal sexual offence”. Due to the severity of the situation, he would part ways with the group immediately. It did not elaborate on details of the offence.
The abrupt announcement came as a shock to fans and the entertainment industry. It has also affected promotional activities for the group.
NCT 127’s Jaehyun, who recently released his solo debut album J, postponed a fan-signing event that had been scheduled for Sept 2. On Aug 27, one day before the scandal hit the news, fellow NCT 127 members Mark and Haechan cancelled their planned video call fan-signing sessions.
The sub-unit last performed here at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2022.
Moon made his debut in 2016 as a member of NCT U, a grouping under the concept boy band NCT, which has more than 20 members in various sub-units. He joined NCT 127 later that year. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
