K-pop singer leaves boy band over sexual crime accusation
South Korean singer Taeil has exited the K-pop group NCT following accusations of an unspecified sexual crime, as announced by his agency on Wednesday.
SM Entertainment, Taeil’s agency, issued a statement on X, confirming that the 30-year-old NCT member will be leaving the group after being “accused in a criminal case related to a sexual crime.”
While the agency did not detail the nature of the allegations, it emphasized the gravity of the situation and concluded that Taeil, whose legal name is Moon Tae-il, could no longer “continue his activities with the team.”
Taeil has not made any public statements regarding the accusations.
SM Entertainment also noted that he is fully cooperating with the police investigation.
“We will provide further updates as the investigation progresses,” the statement read, as translated by the Associated Press.
According to South Korean media, the Bangbae Police Station in Seoul is investigating Taeil in connection with a sexual crime. The BBC was unable to obtain a comment from the police.
Taeil was a member of NCT (Neo Culture Technology), a globally recognized South Korean boy band that debuted in 2016. The group comprises over two dozen members, split into subunits such as NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT Wish.
Taeil was recently active in NCT 127.
On 15 August last year, Taeil got into a car accident in downtown Seoul, in South Korea, while travelling on his motorcycle.
He temporarily suspended his schedules to focus on treatment and recovery.
Known for experimental music spanning various genres, NCT has gained international attention with some releases charting on Billboard lists.
K-pop originated from South Korea and is an amalgamation of pop, R&B and hip-hop.
It has grown into a global phenomenon, particularly after the success of the boy band BTS in the late 2010s.
