Former NCT member Taeil questioned by police over sexual assault allegations

Taeil of NCT (SM Entertainment)

Taeil, formerly of K-pop boy band NCT, was questioned by police Wednesday on sexual assault allegations, according to SM Entertainment.

The agency and the artist first became aware of the allegations in mid-August, said SM Entertainment in a press release Thursday, without disclosing specific details of the allegations.

On Wednesday evening, SM revealed that Taeil, 30, had been accused of a sexual offense and, in light of the seriousness of the situation, it had decided to remove him from the group.

The agency’s swift decision to expel Taeil has intensified curiosity regarding the specifics of the allegations against him.

According to police on Wednesday, Taeil was formally charged following a sexual misconduct complaint received in June.

The recent allegations against Taeil have brought unexpected trouble to the group.

NCT’s Jaehyun, who recently released his solo debut album "J," has indefinitely postponed a fan signing event that had been scheduled for Monday.

On Tuesday, the day before Taeil’s scandal was made public, fellow NCT members Mark and Haechan canceled their planned video call fan signing sessions.

SM Entertainment and other NCT members have quickly distanced themselves from Taeil, even unfollowing his social media accounts.

NCT’s fandom has reacted in shock over the allegations against Taeil, particularly because of the gentle image he had curated.

The eldest member and lead vocalist of NCT 127, Taeil debuted in NCT in 2016 and was also active in NCT U.