South Korean vocalist Taeil has cleared out of K-pop band NCT after being accused of an unspecified sexual crime, his label reported Wednesday.
His agency, SM Entertainment, uploaded a statement on X (formerly Twitter), saying the NCT member will leave the boy band after learning that he has been “accused in a criminal case related to a sexual crime.” The label did not indicate or specify the nature of the crime.
“We recognized the reality and the seriousness of the issue, and we have decided that Taeil can no longer continue team activities,” the label said. “We have talked about this matter with Taeil, and it has been decided that he will leave the group.” The label included that he was completely cooperating with the police investigation.
What Are The Allegations Against NCT Boy Band Member Taeil?
Unfortunately, as per ABC News, the statement from SM Entertainment is all we have to go by for now. In it, they told fans, “We have confirmed that Taeil has been blamed for a criminal case related to sex crimes,” in spite of the fact that they did not reveal the nature of the crime supposedly committed.
They too shared that both Taeil and SM Entertainment are participating in the police investigation— but reports of a criminal case seem not to be independently verified.
However, in spite of the fact that few details can be confirmed as of writing, speculation, and hypotheses from fans of the group have started to spread.
“SM has never acted so quick to drop a male idol before…. What did Taeil do that made SM cut him off so quickly, even before any news broke? It must be something serious,” one user wrote on X.
These claims cannot be confirmed and are pure speculation and are unadulterated theories at this time. Taeil himself has also not yet addressed the accusations publicly, and with an ongoing investigation taking place, he is unlikely to do so any time soon.
Additionally, previous members Taeyong, Doyoung, and Haechan have removed the K-pop star from their Instagram followings. Taeyong, the leader of NCT who is right now serving in the military, has moreover erased all group photographs that included Taeil.
SM Entertainment’s statement gathered over 45.7 million views in less than three hours. The report of a criminal case could not be independently confirmed, and police declined to comment.