Taeil — a K-pop star who found fame as part of SM Entertainment boy band NCT — will spend three and a half years behind bars after pleading guilty to a rape charge.

According to The New York Times, the 31-year-old performer born Moon Tae-il received the ruling in Seoul Central District Court on Thursday (July 10). He reportedly looked “downcast” in the courtroom as Judge Lee Hyun-kyung read out his sentence, calling his crime “severe” and noting that his victim “likely suffered great mental pain” from his actions.

Taeil pleaded guilty in June of raping a Chinese tourist alongside two other men, who also received the same sentence. The crime took place last year, with the musician and his cohorts sexually assaulting a heavily intoxicated woman they’d met at a bar in Seoul earlier that night after taking her to one of the defendants’ homes via taxi. 

The offense — which South Korean law deems “special quasi-rape,” a term reserved for specific cases such as when two or more perpetrators are involved in assaulting an unconscious victim, per the NYT — has a maximum sentence of life in prison. Prosecutors had tried for a seven-year sentence, arguing that the three men had deliberately moved their victim to another location so that she would later struggle to remember details of what happened, but the defendants were ultimately given half that amount.  

Taeil and the two other men were reportedly taken into custody immediately after the sentencing. In addition to jail time, they will have to complete a 40-hour sexual violence program.

Billboard has reached out to SM Entertainment for comment. 

The development comes almost a year after SM announced that Taeil had been removed from both NCT and sub-unit NCT 127. At the time, the company shared only that the decision had been made due to the performer being accused of a then-unspecified sex crime. 

“We have recently learned that TAEIL has been accused of a criminal case related to a sexual offense,” read a statement from SM shared with Billboard in August 2024. “While assessing the facts related to this matter, we recognized the severity of the issue and determined that he can no longer continue team activities.”  

“After discussing with TAEIL, it’s been decided that he will withdraw from the team,” continued the statement, which also noted that the star had been fully cooperating with police investigations. “We deeply apologize for the controversy caused by our artist.”

Even before his departure, Taeil’s activities with NCT had been limited for quite some time. In August 2023, he suffered a severe motorcycle accident that necessitated surgery to treat his wounds, leaving him unable to participate in performances and band appearances while he recovered.

NCT 127 hasn’t released music since before Taeil left. The band’s last album, July 2024’s Walk, reached No. 117 on the Billboard 200.

If you or anyone you know is in need of support for victims of sexual violence, reach out to RAINN for free, confidential support via its website or by calling 1-800-656-4673. 

Challenge a good ol’ boy on a tractor to diagram a sentence and the reaction would likely amount to a short grunt.

But play that same guy the new Dylan Marlowe single, “Picture Perfect,” and he’d probably smile over the obscure John Deere reference and appreciate the twist of a common adjective into a verb, even if he couldn’t explain how or why that twist worked. It’s also a sure bet that he’d relate to the song’s topic: the desire to find peace of mind on a piece of land. It’s a slice out of Marlowe’s own story.

“There was a plot of land, it was 80 acres,” he recalls. “We literally were like, ‘This is what we’re wanting to buy. It’s a good deal.’ We literally had driven to the land, looked at the land we were dreaming about, where the house was going to go, where the fence was going to go, where a gate was going to go. Like, we were dreaming these things in a moment.”

Oddly enough, Marlowe was fenced out from the initial writing session when that property emerged as a song idea. Marlowe’s then-current single, the Dylan Scott collaboration “Boys Back Home,” was at No. 12 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, and when Nate Smith came up sick, Marlowe was a last–minute fill-in for Audacy’s Stars and Strings acoustic concert in Hollywood, Fla., last November.

Marlowe’s “Boys Back Home” co-writers, Seth Ennis and Joe Fox, encouraged him to take the gig and promote the single, as did Play It Again Music founder Dallas Davidson, Marlowe’s manager and publisher. Those three kept the writing appointment they’d set for that day, and in Marlowe’s absence, they decided to tailor something for him. Ennis had a title, “Picture Perfect,” that would typically work as a two-word adjective, as in “picture-perfect wedding.” But Marlowe had told Fox in a phone call the previous night about driving with his wife, Natalie, to view the 80-acre plot. Fox thought they could employ “picture” as a verb, something like, “When you picture us, picture perfect.”

“Joe made it a little more interesting,” Davidson says. “I’m like, ‘I’m in, let’s write this thing.’ ”

They started from the top, verbally re-creating Marlowe’s experience with the property, describing the land and the way a house might fit with the tree line. It led directly to a chorus that opened with that verb — “Baby, close your eyes and picture perfect” — before drawing on homey images: handprints in the concrete, pencil marks on the door frame. And Davidson placed a 4020 in the barn, referencing a John Deere model that he’d inserted into a previous Luke Bryan track, only to have Bryan remove it.

“That’s an iconic tractor,” Davidson recalls. “You had a no-cab 4020 — I drove one when I was 15 years old, working pecans. A guy named Junior taught me how to drive a 4020, and I’m glad that made it in there.”

“If people question it,” Marlowe adds, “that might give them something to go look up. It might make them pay attention.”

After the 4020 line, Ennis extended the “picture” verb to the next level: “Baby, picture baby pictures in the hallway.”

“I didn’t know if it was a thing at first,” Ennis says. “I was like, ‘Hey, would it be dumb if we said, “Baby, picture baby pictures”? Is that lame to say the same thing twice?’ And then Dallas, who’s this multi-hit songwriter, looks at me and he’s like, ‘What are you talking about, dude? That’s awesome.’ ”

As they finished the first verse and chorus, they began hearing the melody as something better suited for Bryan, so they reworked it.

“Seth kind of spit out a new chorus melody,” Fox recalls. “It was a completely different vibe, like different chords, different melody. But we had the lyrics, so we kind of went and just revised it to be a little more Dylan.”

Davidson suggested they halt there so Marlowe could work on the next verse and make it even “more Dylan.” They emailed a guitar/vocal version to Marlowe, who -listened to it repeatedly on the flight back to Nashville the next day. Once he was home, he wrote a second verse and a bridge on the porch, outlining how the amount of road work he was taking on was to provide financial roots for the couple’s dream.

“I was working my butt off, playing shows, trying to save so much money, and also just confirming [the motivation],” Marlowe says. “Women like to be reaffirmed that you’re doing that kind of thing.”
Marlowe’s co-writers gave the new sections a thumbs-up, and Ennis cut a new guitar/vocal version that pulled the whole thing together.

Fox produced the master at Sound Stage, intent on finding a middle ground: enough bite to elevate its sound beyond ballad territory but slow enough to convey its seriousness and sincerity.

“The tempo of this song was a pain in the butt to figure out,” Marlowe says.

Ilya Toshinskiy laid down an oscillating, two-note acoustic guitar figure as a foundation, and the rest of the arrangement adhered to that part, particularly a simple six-note up-and-back riff that blended a Fox vocal pass with Scotty Sanders’ steel guitar and Dobro.

“Joe did the perfect amount of having it rocking, but it also serves what the song is talking about,” Ennis says. “You don’t necessarily want rock’n’roll, in-your-face screaming guitars when you’re talking about what this song is talking about. I think that he nailed the vibe.”

They scrapped the bridge so they could get back to the chorus sooner, and Fox weaved in a notably spare guitar section.

“I’m not a fan of shredding guitar solos,” Fox says. “In the ’80s hair metal days, which I like, they always found a way to make the guitar solo a part of the song so you could sing the solo back.”

Sony Music Nashville’s Columbia imprint released “Picture Perfect” to country radio through PlayMPE on May 12 as the follow-up to “Boys Back Home,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Country Airplay chart dated Jan. 18.

“Ken [Robold] and Taylor [Lindsey] are new at Sony as the heads, and they are firm believers in songs, which I appreciate,” Marlowe says. “They just said, ‘Hey, this is a good song. It may not have the same numbers as “Boys Back Home” off the bat, but we believe in this song, and we believe you when you sing it.’ It was very mutual.”

Kylie Kelce and Ed Sheeran chatted about a mutual friend on the latest episode of the former’s Not Gonna Lie podcast, with the pair agreeing that Taylor Swift is the “cheat code” for getting crowds to be as loud as possible.

The topic of the pop superstar first came up as the British musician was talking about the highest decibel level he’s ever had an audience reach. “We brought on Eminem, and that was the loudest I’ve ever heard a crowd — like, anywhere in the world,” Sheeran told Kelce of a 2023 performance in the rapper’s home city of Detroit.

“There’s never been a louder crowd than that,” he continued. “But I will say it’s because I brought Eminem on stage in Detroit. That’s the cheat code.”

When Sheeran asked Kelce which artist would be the “cheat code” for Philadelphia crowds, the former field hockey player said that it would have to be her brother-in-law’s ultra famous girlfriend. “I mean, I think Taylor, just because it’s home,” Kelce told the four-time Grammy winner, referring to the fact that Swift was born and raised in West Reading, Penn., before moving to Nashville as a teenager.

Sheeran replied, “I kind of think Taylor anywhere, though.”

Both Kelce and Sheeran have first-hand experience with the high-volume crowds Swift draws. The former — who is married to retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce — has known the “Fortnight” singer since 2023, when Swift first started dating Jason’s younger brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Sheeran, meanwhile, has performed on stage with Swift a number of times, including countless nights more than a decade ago on her Red Tour, for which he served as an opening act.

Speaking of the Red trek, Sheeran revealed to Kylie how traveling with Swift turned him into an NFL fan. “I moved to Nashville for Taylor’s Red Tour in 2013, and I got a place there,” he said. “I went to Walmart to buy bits to move in, and I just bought some pajamas. And then when I got home, I was wearing the pajamas, and when someone was around, they were like, ‘Oh, you’re a Titans fan.’ I was like, ‘Guess I am.’”  

The interview comes as Sheeran is gearing up to release his new album, Play, in September. So far, he’s shared three tracks from the LP — “Azizam,” “Old Phone” and “Sapphire.”

His chat with Kylie isn’t the first time he’s spoken about Swift in the lead-up to Play. While guesting on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast in April, he opened up about his friendship with his former tourmate, telling listeners, “I see her when I see her … Like, instead of catching up the whole time, we have a proper sit-down, six-hour catchups, and I think that’s like a really nice way to do it.”

Listen to Sheeran’s full conversation with Kylie below.

If you’ve been paying any attention to the Billboard charts the past couple weeks, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the chart onslaught of two brand-new groups: HUNTR/X and Saja Boys, who now have a combined six Billboard Hot 100 entries (and a top 40 hit each).

If you’re wondering why you’d never heard of either before a couple weeks ago, it’s because they didn’t exist prior to that — and in some ways technically still don’t, as both are inventions of the hit animated Netflix musical KPop Demon Hunters. Despite their fictional nature, both groups are having real-life breakout success befitting their in-universe superstardom — to the point where they’re racking up chart achievements that many of the biggest flesh-and-bone K-pop icons have yet to add to their resumés.

On this first-ever Fictional Pop Star Review on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard Assistant Social Editor and K-pop superfan Abby Webster to talk about all things HUNTR/X and Saja Boys — what about the girl group and boy band feels authentic, what reminds us of other real-life K-pop idol groups and what maybe stretches credibility a little. We also talk about what has made KPop Demon Hunters into such a runaway phenomenon, and how much bigger it still could get from here.

Along the way, we discuss all the most important questions: Why has KPop Demon Hunters been the first musical since Encanto to have such chart-blanketing impact? How many members is too few for a plausible 2025 K-pop group? Is it weird that the HUNTR/X version of “Takedown” is actually outstreaming the cover done by the established real-life K-pop superstars on the soundtrack? And could a HUNTR/X and Saja Boys tour ever actually happen in real life — and would we go see it if it did?

Check it out above — along with two Abby-assembled Spotify playlists, one helping new-to-K-pop Demon Hunters fans find their footing within the genre, and also looking at some of the real-life genre hits echoed by the movie’s fictional jams. And please subscribe to the Greatest Pop Stars podcast on Apple Music or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts) for weekly discussions every Thursday about all things related to pop stardom!

And as we say in every one of these GPS podcast posts — if you have the time and money to spare, please consider donating to any of these causes in the fight for trans rights:

Transgender Law Center

Trans Lifeline

LGBTQ Fundraising on GoFundMe

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on 5Calls.org.

Gloria Trevi re-upped her global publishing deal with Peermusic and signed with Peermusic Neighbouring Rights for worldwide (excluding the U.S.) collection. Peermusic has represented Trevi since 2007, expanding their deal in 2018 to include many of her iconic hits, like “Como Nace El Universo” and “Tu Ángel De La Guarda.” Trevi, inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018, recently released her 17th studio album El Vuelo — her first as an independent artist under her label, Great Talent Records. One of the top-grossing Latin female artists, she sold out venues across the U.S. and Mexico with her Mi Soundtrack tour in 2024 and this year launched her Trevi Hits trek across Latin America and Spain. “Gloria is a true diva — bold, brilliant, and always unapologetically herself,” remarked Yvonne Drazan, president of U.S. Latin. “I’m constantly inspired by how she channels her thoughts and emotions into music that connects so deeply with her audience.”

Kobalt signed a global publishing deal with Grammy and CMA-nominated songwriter Derrick Southerland, acquiring part of his extensive catalog. Known for his genre-spanning songwriting and over a billion streams, Southerland has penned hits like Ingrid Andress’ double platinum “More Hearts Than Mine,” gold-certified “Lady Like,” and “Yearbook.” His work has appeared across radio formats and in TV and film placements with ABC, Netflix and Hallmark, and he has collaborated with A-listers like Carrie Underwood, Kane Brown, Vince Gill and Joshua Bassett, whose song “Crisis” made NPR’s Top 10 Songs of 2021. Southerland’s latest release, “Same Moon” by Mitchell Tenpenny, is currently climbing the radio charts. “His ability to craft songs that permeate the Nashville community while having multi-genre impact is rare,” said Kevin Lane, senior creative director at Kobalt.

Angry Mob Music Group unveiled a refreshed brand identity, marking a new chapter in its 15-year story in Indie music publishing. The rebrand reflects the company’s evolution from a champion of indie artist exposure to a global, multidimensional publisher dedicated to supporting songwriters, composers and creatives. The updated look was developed in collaboration with Igawa Design and Boundary. CEO Marc Caruso said the rebrand signals a “new chapter” in the company, while co-founder Sean Harrison highlighted that the “new look captures the spirit, originality, and forward momentum that define both our team and the work we do.”

Country singer-songwriter Jay Webb inked a global publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing, coinciding with the upcoming release of his second album, Where To Find Me, on July 25. Hailing from Alabama, Webb built a grassroots following through relatable songcraft that reflects his tough upbringing. With over 415 million global streams — including tracks like “One More Shot” and “Love Me Tonight” — Webb is reshaping country with a genre-blending sound that pushes traditional boundaries. “His authenticity resonates with an audience that’s fighting through the same struggles he so vulnerably sings about from his own life experience,” said SMP Nashville A&R man Josh Van Valkenburg … SMP also added singer-songwriter Noeline Hofmann to its publishing roster. Hofmann released her debut EP Purple Gas last year, while Zach Bryan featured the title track as a duet with Hofmann on his The Great American Bar Scene project. The song reached No. 69 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Hofmann’s debut on that chart.

Reservoir Media extended its global publishing deal with Grammy-winning songwriter-producer Khris Riddick-Tynes, continuing a partnership that began in 2020. Based in Los Angeles, Riddick-Tynes has worked with top artists like Drake, SZA, Kehlani, Jacob Collier and Ariana Grande. One of Khris Riddick-Tynes’ standout achievements with Reservoir was co-writing and co-producing SZA’s Grammy-winning hit “Snooze,” from her record-breaking 2022 album SOS, which dominated Billboard’s R&B charts for months after its release. Riddick-Tynes has also earned industry recognition, including Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players list and Variety’s Hitmakers. Reservoir’s EVP Donna Caseine highlighted his “extraordinary talent,” adding that he “proves time and again to be an impressive collaborator, creating fresh music in the voice of some of today’s biggest artists across genres.”

Concord Music Publishing signed Brazilian duo Tropkillaz (Zegon and Laudz) to a global publishing deal, marking its first-ever signing from Brazil. Known for blending Brazilian rhythms with bass, funk, hip-hop and dancehall, Tropkillaz have collaborated with Anitta, J Balvin, Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg over the years. The duo’s recent work includes Karol G’s Tropicoqueta and notable K-pop productions for Lisa of BLACKPINK, NCT 127, aespa and TXT. The deal, coordinated across Concord’s London, New York and Miami offices, “reflects our commitment to creators that drive culture forward,” said Pablo Ahogado, vp of A&R.

BMG signed global publishing deals with two rising international artists. Brazilian DJ and producer ALOK, known for hits like “Hear Me Now” and collaborations with John Legend, joins BMG as a pioneer of Brazilian bass — a fusion of house, techno, and Brazilian rhythms. With over 22 million monthly Spotify listeners and 29 million Instagram followers, ALOK is Brazil’s most-streamed electronic artist and the only Brazilian featured in Billboard’s Dance 100. Meanwhile, Scottish singer-songwriter Tom Walker, acclaimed for “Leave a Light On” and his BRIT Award-winning debut What A Time To Be Alive, also joined BMG. With over three billion global streams and 3.5 million albums sold, Walker is praised by BMG’s Lisa Cullington as a “phenomenal songwriter” with deeply resonant music.

Little Louder Music extended its publishing partnership with singer-songwriter Tucker Beathard. Known for his transition from recording artist to go-to songwriter, Beathard has penned tracks for Eric Church, Kenny Chesney, Riley Green and more. His co-written song “Backup Plan,” recorded by Bailey Zimmerman and Luke Combs, is nearing the Top 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. A Nashville native and son of songwriter Casey Beathard, Tucker rose to fame with his 2016 hit “Rock On” and his 2020 album King. “He is not a talker, he is a doer and what he has been doing is quietly writing some of the best songs in town,” said LLM president Arturo Buenahora Jr.

British singer-songwriter Billy Lockett inked a global publishing deal with Notting Hill Music. Known for his emotive lyrics and piano-driven sound, Lockett gained acclaim with his 2023 album Abington Grove, featuring hit singles like “Hard Act To Follow” and “You’re Not Alone.” Under the new deal, Notting Hill Music will manage his existing catalog and support future releases, sync opportunities, and global growth. “Billy is exactly the kind of artist we love to work with – a genuine songwriter with a unique voice and a relentless drive,” said John Saunderson, head of A&R at NHM. “His music connects on such a deep level, and we’re honoured to help take his career to the next stage.”

Cutcraft Music Group signed UK artist IAMDDB to an exclusive global publishing deal. Known for blending jazz, trap and neo-soul, IAMDDB (Diana De Brito) has earned acclaim with tracks like “Shade,”  “Famous” and “Drippy,” amassing over 100 million global streams. 

Sony Music Publishing France and Sony Music France acquired Lusafrica and Africa Nostra, two influential entities dedicated to promoting Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) and African music. Founded in 1988 by José Da Silva, Lusafrica introduced the world to Cesária Évora, whose award-winning discography is now part of a 4,000-title catalog. The acquisition includes Africa Nostra’s publishing rights, which overlap significantly with Lusafrica’s. The catalog features iconic artists like Bonga, Boubacar Traoré and Polo Montañez. “We are committed to preserving and developing the legacy built by Lusafrica, by establishing bridges between markets and generations, for the benefit of artists and fans,” said Marie-Anne Robert, managing director of SMF. “Our expertise in developing international audiences will allow listeners worldwide to discover or rediscover this essential world music catalog.”

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