A court in Seoul has sentenced South Korean singer Moon Tae-il, affectionately referred to as Tael and a former member of the popular K-pop band NCT, to three years and six months in prison for rape.

This comes after the 31-year-old singer and two accomplices, named in South Korean reports only as Lee and Hong, admitted in June to taking turns assaulting their victim, a Chinese tourist.

Prosecution initially requested a 7-year jail term; however, a district judge in Seoul handed them just half the seven-year sentence, describing the offence as "extremely grave".

The court told the three men they must go through 40 hours of a special program meant to help people who have committed sexual violence understand their actions and change their behaviour.

According to the court, the culprits met their victim at a bar in the Itaewon district in Seoul.

She became "heavily intoxicated" after drinking with them, the court heard. They then got into a taxi to Lee's house, where the assault happened.

The South Korean law describes this specific kind of rape as "aggravated" because it was a group attack, and a "quasi rape", as the victim was unconscious.

Taeil officially joined NCT in April 2016, debuting as part of the group’s first sub-unit, NCT U, with the single Without You.

In June 2024, when the case began, he officially exited NCT in August 2024, although the exact details of the crime were not publicly known at the time, after which SM Entertainment terminated his contract in October 2024.

Before he departed from NCT, he was known for his powerful vocals and was a key member of both NCT U and NCT 127

Introduced as a K-pop band in January 2016, NCT is known for its experimental music spanning various genres and has gained international attention with some releases charting on Billboard lists.