The appeal trial for Taeil, a former member of the K-pop group NCT, on charges of sexual assault is set to take place on September 17.
According to legal sources on September 2, the Seoul High Court's 11-3 Criminal Division will conduct the first appeal trial for Taeil and two accomplices on charges of aggravated sexual assault. The case was brought to appeal after both the defendants and the prosecution contested the initial verdict.
Previously, the Seoul Central District Court's 26th Criminal Division sentenced Taeil and his two accomplices to three years and six months in prison in July. The court also mandated 40 hours of sexual violence treatment programs, a five-year employment restriction in child and youth-related institutions, and an order to disclose personal information. Although Taeil was initially tried without detention, he was taken into custody following the first trial due to concerns about his potential flight risk.
The first trial court determined that the defendants took advantage of the victim's incapacitated state due to intoxication. The court noted that the victim, a foreign tourist, likely suffered significant mental distress from being assaulted in an unfamiliar place. The court considered the defendants' lack of prior offenses, acknowledgment of the crime, and settlement with the victim in determining the sentence.
According to the prosecution, the defendants encountered the victim at a bar in Itaewon on the early morning of June 13 last year. After drinking together, they moved to a residence in Bangbae-dong by taxi, where they collectively assaulted the victim, who had lost consciousness due to intoxication, between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m. The prosecution identified the defendants through two months of investigation and CCTV analysis, countering their claim of voluntary surrender as not meeting legal requirements.
During the trial, Taeil admitted to the charges. After the prosecution sought a seven-year prison sentence, Taeil expressed remorse in his final statement, saying, "I deeply regret and apologize for the harm caused to the victim. I am sorry to everyone who is disappointed. If given leniency, I will take it as a last chance to contribute positively to society."
As a result of the incident, Taeil withdrew from the group NCT. SM Entertainment announced the termination of his exclusive contract on October 15, citing the ongoing criminal proceedings as the reason and stating that restoring trust in him as an artist was deemed impossible.