- Taeil, a member of the boy band NCT, is reportedly being investigated by the police.
A popular K-pop star has been kicked out of his group after being accused of an unspecified sexual offense, his label announced.
Taeil, a member of the boy band NCT, is reportedly being investigated by the police and is said to be fully cooperating with the investigation.
His agency, SM Entertainment, released a statement on X, saying that Taeil will be leaving the band after learning that he has been “charged in a criminal case related to a sexual crime.” The agency did not specify the nature of the crime.
“We have recognized the severity of the issue and have decided that Taeil can no longer continue with team activities,” the label said.
“We have discussed this matter with Taeil and it has been decided that he will be leaving the group.”
Taeil, a member of boy band NCT, is reportedly being investigated by police for an unspecified sexual crime.
The popular singer, whose legal name is Moon Tae-il, once held the Guinness World Record for the fastest person to reach 1 million followers on Instagram.
Taeil was part of NCT, or Neo Culture Technology, a globally popular South Korean boy band that debuted in 2016.
The group currently has over two dozen members divided into several subunits including NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT Wish. Taeil is a member of NCT 127.
Known for their experimental music spanning multiple genres, the group has gained international attention with several releases topping the Billboard charts.
NCT’s most recent release was last month, a single called Walk, from the group’s sixth studio album of the same title.
SM Entertainment’s statement garnered over 45.7 million views in less than three hours, and fans responded with surprise to the news.
Taeil (second from right) is pictured with other NCT 127 members in 2019.
The report of a criminal case could not be independently verified and police declined to comment.
K-pop originated in South Korea and is an amalgamation of Western pop, R&B and hip-hop sounds while blending cultural elements from the country.
It has become a global phenomenon, particularly after the success of boy band BTS in the late 2010s.
