The K-pop universe was taken aback when Moon Taeil, popularly recognized by his stage name Taeil, was excluded from his band NCT, following allegations of a sex-related offense. The band’s management, SM Entertainment, confirmed his removal in an announcement made early Wednesday. All that was shared about the 30-year-old artist’s case was that it was associated with a sexual misconduct allegation, with no more specifics provided.
According to the label, they comprehend the severity of the charges raised, which led to the decision of ceasing Taeil’s participation in the band. After discussing the matter with Taeil himself, it became evident that leaving the band was the agreed upon route. However, it’s worth mentioning his binding contract with SM Entertainment was not revoked. This development was reported by Korea JoongAng Daily.
The label assures that cooperation is at the forefront of their actions in dealing with law enforcement agencies, as do Taeil himself. While the case is under investigation, SM Entertainment committed to keeping their fans updated with the latest developments. In their statement, the label expresses remorse to the fans who were caught off guard and upset by the unfortunate situation their artist finds himself in.
In response to the case, South Korean authorities refrained from making an official statement, as reported by The Associated Press. The variety-based boyband NCT, otherwise known as Neo Culture Technology, to which Taeil has been a prominent member, made its breakthrough into the industry in 2016, consisting of numerous separate groups.
Beyond his contributions as a member of NCT, Taeil also played a key role in the sub-group NCT 127, which recently dropped its 6th studio record titled ‘Walk’ in July. Taeil also has a number of solo contributions under his belt serving as soundtracks for several South Korean films.
Prior to these allegations, Taeil stepped back from participating in the band’s tour around this time last year. It was reported by Billboard that this absence was attributed to significant injuries from a motorcycle mishap that required an extended recovery period.
Before this event, SM Entertainment found themselves under the public eye when they had to step in to protect two other NCT band members, Johnny and Haechan. The situation aroused from rumors that were circulating on the virtual grapevine about an unrelated sex scandal.