South Korean singer Taeil has left his band NCT after being accused of an unspecified sexual crime.
His label, SM Entertainment, released a statement on X on Wednesday, August 28, saying the NCT member will depart from the boy band after learning he has been “accused in a criminal case related to a sexual crime.” The label did not specify the nature of the crime.
“We have recently learned that Taeil has been charged with a criminal case related to sexual offenses,” the label stated. “As we gathered the facts, we realized the seriousness of the case and decided that he could no longer continue to be a part of the team, and in consultation with Taeil, he has decided to leave the team. Taeil is cooperating fully with the police investigation and we will provide further comment as the investigation progresses. We deeply apologize for any offense our artist may have caused.”
Taeil has yet to release a statement regarding the accusations.
The K-pop idol was a member of NCT, a highly popular South Korean boy band that first debuted under SM in 2016. The group features more than two dozen members spread across several subunits, such as NCT 127, NCT Dream and NCT Wish. Recently, Taeil has been active with NCT 127.
Taeil is the fourth member of NCT to leave since last year — as singers Sungchan and Shotaro left to join SM’s newest boy group RIIZE, while Lucas Wong departed after a two-year hiatus from the band following after he became embroiled in multiple controversies that involved his personal life.
In August 2021, Lucas released an apology after three of his ex-girlfriends shared their negative experiences with him. “While watching the situation during the past few days, I have looked back on my past behavior and sincerely reflected on it,” he wrote in a statement at the time. “Looking back on my behavior of the past, it was clearly wrong, and it was an irresponsible behavior that betrayed the support that my fans have shown me for a long time.”
Lucas officially left NCT and group WayV in May 2023, confirming his departure via Instagram post.
“After much deliberation and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to part ways with the group NCT and WayV,” he wrote. “I sincerely feel sorry for the members, and it is with a heavy heart that I leave behind a long-standing friendship. It has been nearly 8 years since I first joined the members, and I am deeply grateful for their care and support. I will cherish these memories and never forget.”
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