NCT’s Taeil To B.A.P’s Himchan: 5 K-Pop Idols Whose Careers Crashed Due To Legal Troubles

From sex scandals to criminal cases, the K-pop industry has faced its fair share of controversies. Here are 5 idols whose careers took a major hit because of them.

5 Scandalous K‑Pop Crime Cases That Ended Stardom(Photo Credit –X)

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In recent years, the South Korean entertainment industry has become hugely successful across the globe. Be it K-pop or K-drama, every aspect enjoys a massive global audience. People love their favorite K-pop idols with all their heart, and whenever any inconvenience happens, they come to defend their biases and support them no matter what. But what is happening now, mostly in the K-pop industry, has gotten out of hand.

The latest wave of sexual assault and crime scandals revolving around these K-pop idols is breaking their fans’ trust in them. The industry is now facing one of the darkest phases of all time, where prominent idols like NCT’s Moon Tae-Il to EXO’s Kris have been convicted or accused of such crime, leaving the public in shock and fans disappointed. Read on to know about these 5 K-pop idols who crushed their careers because of such scandals.

NCT’s Moon Tae-Il

Former NCT member Moon Tae-Il has been charged with an aggravated quasi-rape case and has been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment. On June 18, 2025 the Seoul Central District Court found that Tae-Il along with two other acquaintances raped a foreign woman who was intoxicated at an apartment in Bangbae-dong after meeting her post midnight.

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Prosecutors have requested seven years in jail and 10 years of employment restriction for the former NCT member. Tae-Il admitted to his crimes in his first trial, which left everyone in shock. The idol even cited his mental trauma from a past accident and financial struggles, and expressed his guilt.

EXO’s Kris

Kris Wu was a former member of EXO. After getting sentenced to 13 years in prison over multiple counts of rape and gang indecency including underage intoxicating victims in China, his career got demolished. After he completes his sentence, he is expected to be deported under a certain law that applies to convicted sex offenders, as he is a Canadian citizen.

THE BOYZ’s Ju Haknyeon

THE BOYZ’s former member Ju Haknyeon has not been arrested yet, but his name got entangled in a scandalous controversy involving a Japanese p*rnstar Asuka Kirara after they got together on May 30, 2025. He has been removed from the band, and his contract has been terminated. Even though no legal charges have been made yet, the Korean government’s civil petition has requested a thorough investigation into the case to see if there’s any possible overseas prostitution and agency involvement.

Haknyeon had denied all the accusations against his name, but the agency, One Hundred Label, took quick action to take him out of the team. In an official statement, they wrote (via KBIzoom), “Given the gravity of the matter and the difficulty of maintaining trust, this decision was inevitable to protect the group.” On the other hand, Haknyeon wrote, “While it’s true that I attended the gathering on May 30, I did not engage in any form of prostitution or illegal activity.”

B.A.P.’s Himchan

Another K-pop idol whose career came to a halt is former B.A.P member Himchan. He was involved in a serious sexual assault case stemming from an incident in 2018, where he was accused of assaulting a woman at a guesthouse. In 2021, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced him to 10 months in prison and ordered him to complete a 40-hour sexual offender rehabilitation program. The conviction severely impacted his public image, leading to a sharp decline in his career and public support.

For those who don’t know, he even tried committing suicide after the court’s trial and even apologized for his deeds.

F.T. Island’s Choi Jong-Hoon

F.T. Island’s former member Choi Jong-Hoon was convicted in connection with the notorious 2019 Burning Sun Scandal. He had received a 2.5 years of imprisonment for gang rape and filming without consent. Jong-Hoon was also involved in ‘Jung Joon-Young chatroom’ or Molka chatcase, which further ignited the controversies revolving around his name. In 2021, after his release, the band’s agency, FNC Entertainment, terminated their contract with him.

People have started to lose their trust in male K-pop idols. With each passing day, it’s getting dangerous. The women feel unsafe around them. These crimes have led to further scrutiny and investigation into the Korean entertainment industry, so that it can be reformed for the better. Fans now demand stricter oversight, quick consequences, and absolute transparency when stars get involved in such criminal offences.

Well, what are your thoughts?

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