K-pop Star Taeil Leaves NCT Amid Sexual Crime Allegations

South Korean singer Taeil has departed from the K-pop group NCT following allegations of an unspecified sexual crime, his agency, SM Entertainment, confirmed on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old, whose legal name is Moon Tae-il, will no longer continue with the boy band after being accused of a criminal case related to a sexual offence. The nature of the alleged crime has not been detailed by the agency. SM Entertainment’s statement, released on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and stated, “The agency recognized the seriousness of the situation and decided that Taeil can no longer continue his activities with the team.”

Taeil has not made any public statements regarding the allegations, but SM Entertainment noted that he is fully cooperating with the ongoing police investigation. “We will provide further statements as the investigation progresses,” the statement read, which was initially posted in Korean and later translated by the Associated Press.

According to South Korean media reports, the Bangbae Police Station in Seoul is handling the investigation. The BBC has not yet been able to obtain comments from the police.

Taeil was a member of NCT (Neo Culture Technology), a globally renowned South Korean boy band that debuted in 2016. The group, known for its experimental music and multiple subunits including NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT Wish, boasts over two dozen members. Taeil was most recently active with NCT 127.

In August of the previous year, Taeil was involved in a motorcycle accident in downtown Seoul, which led to a temporary suspension of his schedule for treatment and recovery.

NCT has achieved international acclaim with several of its releases charting on Billboard lists. The group’s music, known for blending pop, R&B, and hip-hop, has contributed to the global rise of K-pop, a genre that has expanded significantly since the late 2010s with the success of bands like BTS.