A man in his 30s who appeared on SBS Plus and ENA’s dating reality series “I Am Solo” has been convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s and received a suspended prison sentence.
On the 19th, the 11th Criminal Division of the Seoul Western District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Kim Woo-hyun, sentenced the Defendant―indicted on a charge equivalent to sexually assaulting an incapacitated victim―to one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours of a sex-offender treatment program and is barred for five years from employment at facilities serving children, teens, or people with disabilities.
“The Defendant carried out the offense despite the victim being heavily intoxicated and showing clear refusal, causing significant psychological harm,” the court said, noting the victim sustained injuries while resisting. “However, the sentence reflects that he admitted the crime and expressed remorse, the victim reached a settlement and does not seek punishment, and he spent roughly three months in custody reflecting on his actions.”
Earlier, The Attorney asked the court to close the proceedings, arguing that intense media and public attention could distort the trial as the Defendant’s remorse was reviewed. Prosecutors also warned that key evidence―surveillance footage from a companion vehicle―captures the incident in explicit detail, and playing it in open court could lead to secondary victimization.
The court agreed, switching to a closed hearing to protect the victim’s privacy and prevent further harm.
The Defendant was accused of raping a woman around 3:30 a.m. on June 21 in a parking lot in Seoul’s Seogyo-dong neighborhood of Mapo-gu. He was taken into custody later that month and subsequently indicted.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)