Kim Tae-hee, Rain stalker sentenced to six months behind bars

Actor Kim Tae-hee, left, and singer Rain [RAIN COMPANY]

A Seoul court sentenced celebrity couple singer Rain and actor Kim Tae-hee stalker to six months in prison and 40 hours of treatment for stalkers on Wednesday.

The stalker, a 49-year-old woman, has repeatedly visited the couple's home in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan District, since March 2021, ringing the doorbell.

The woman had been charged with minor penalties three times, including a fine of less than 100,000 won ($76), from March 2021 to October of the same year, which was before the punishment for stalking became harsher.

She was caught in the act at the couple's house by the police in February 2022. The police sent her case to the prosecution in September of the same year.

"We acknowledged the fact that it was her first offense, and she did not see the intention to cause damage," the court said. "However, the criminal act of constant stalking against the couple cannot be seen lightly."

The court handed a prison sentence given the woman's likelihood of committing the same crime again, noting "the difficulty of providing appropriate treatment for the accused,"

To find out more about Kim Tae-hee and Rain, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]