Warning: mentions of sexual assault.

The Supreme Court has upheld the original ruling against former NCT member Taeil.

Back in July, Taeil and his two co-defendants, Mr. Lee and Mr. Hong, were sentenced to three years and six months in prison each for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (Aggravated Quasi-Rape). All three men had pleaded guilty to charges of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman while she was unconscious in June of last year.

Taeil and the other two defendants immediately appealed the ruling, but in October, the Seoul High Court rejected the appeal and upheld the court’s initial decision. All three defendants then went on to file another appeal, bringing the case all the way to the Supreme Court.

However, on December 26, the Supreme Court similarly denied this second appeal, upholding the original sentence of three years and six months in prison for each defendant. The Supreme Court, which found no grounds for an appeal, also upheld the previous order for all three men to complete 40 hours of a sex offender treatment program, in addition to imposing a five-year employment restriction at institutions related to children, adolescents, and persons with disabilities.

Although Taeil debuted as a member of NCT in 2016, SM Entertainment announced his departure from the group in August 2024 after learning that he had been accused of sexual assault.