SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean singer Taeil has left the K-pop group NCT after being accused of an unspecified sexual offense, his record label announced Wednesday.
His agency, SM Entertainment, posted a statement on social media site X on Wednesday saying that the NCT member will be leaving the boy band after learning that he was charged “in a criminal case related to a sexual crime.” The label did not specify the nature of the crime.
“We recognized the seriousness of the issue, and have decided that Taeil can no longer continue the group’s activities,” the agency said. “We have discussed this matter with Taeil, and it has been decided that he will leave the group.” The label added that Taeil is fully cooperating with the police investigation.
Taeil was a member of NCT, a globally popular South Korean music group that debuted in 2016. The group currently has over twenty members, divided into several subgroups, including NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT Wish. Taeil was active in NCT 127.
SM Entertainment’s statement garnered over 45.7 million views in less than three hours.
K-pop has its origins in South Korean music and is an amalgamation 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 following the success of boy band BTS in the late 2010s.
