Popular K-pop singer kicked out of boy band over alleged ‘sex crimes’
- Taeil, a member of boy band NCT, is reportedly being investigated by 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 police and is said to be fully cooperating with the investigation.
His agency, SM Entertainment, released a statement about X, saying that Taeil will be leaving the band after learning that he “has been charged with a criminal case involving a sexual offense.” The label did not specify what the nature of the offense was.
“We recognize the seriousness of the issue and have decided that Taeil can no longer continue with the team’s activities,” the label said.
“We have discussed this matter with Taeil and it has been decided that he will leave the group.”
Taeil, a member of boy band NCT, is reportedly being investigated by police for an unspecified sexual offense
The popular singer, whose real name is Moon Tae-il, once held the Guinness World Record for the fastest person ever to reach one 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.
The group is known for their experimental music that spans multiple genres and has gained international attention with a number of Billboard charting releases.
NCT’s latest release was last month, a single called Walk, taken from the group’s sixth studio album of the same title.
SM Entertainment’s statement was viewed more than 45.7 million times in less than three hours, with fans shocked by the news.
Taeil (second from right) is pictured with fellow NCT 127 members in 2019
The criminal case report could not be independently verified and police declined to comment.
K-pop originates from South Korea and is a mix of Western pop, R&B and hip-hop sounds, supplemented with cultural elements from the country.
It has become a global phenomenon, especially after the success of boy band BTS in the late 2010s.
