Entertainment
“We have recognized the seriousness of the issue and have decided that Taeil can no longer continue with the team’s activities,” the label said.
South Korean singer Taeil, right, poses with other members of K-Pop boy band NCT 127 as he arrives at the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards or MAMA 2021 in Paju, South Korea, on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021. AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, file
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean singer Taeil has left K-pop group NCT after being accused of an unspecified sex crime, his label said Wednesday.
His agency, SM Entertainment, released a statement on X, saying that the NCT member would be leaving the boy group after learning that he had been “charged in a criminal case related to a sex crime.” The label did not elaborate on the nature of the crime.
“We have acknowledged the seriousness of the matter and have decided that Taeil can no longer continue the group’s activities,” the label said. “We have discussed this matter with Taeil and it has been decided that he will leave the group.” The label added that it is fully cooperating with the police investigation.
Taeil was a member 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 was most recently active as a member of NCT 127. Known for their experimental music spanning various genres, the group has garnered international attention with some of their releases charting on Billboard charts.
SM Entertainment’s statement was viewed more than 45.7 million times in less than three hours.
Reports that the case was criminal could not be independently verified and police declined to comment.
Originating in South Korea, K-pop is a blend of Western pop, R&B, and hip-hop sounds, while also mixing in cultural elements from the country. It has become a global phenomenon, especially after the success of boy band BTS in the late 2010s.
