'NCT Taeyil, Subject to First Police Investigation on 28th Amid "Sex Crime Expulsion"... Background of SM's Proactive Response'

Police Investigation on the 28th, Members Suspend Their Schedules

Group 'NCT' member Taeil (30, real name Moon Taeil) underwent his first police investigation after being accused of sexual crime charges.

Former member of the group NCT, Taeyil.

Agency SM Entertainment stated on the 29th, "Both our company and Taeil first became aware of the accusation in mid-June," adding, "Taeil was questioned by the police on the 28th."

However, SM did not disclose the specific nature of the 'sexual crime charges' Taeil is facing. Earlier, SM confirmed that Taeil was accused in a criminal case related to sexual crimes and announced the decision for Taeil to leave the team due to the seriousness of the matter.

Taeil's removal has caused disruptions in the activities of NCT members.

On the 26th, NCT's Jaehyun, who released his solo debut album 'J,' indefinitely postponed a fan signing event scheduled for the 29th. The day before Taeil's accusation became public, other NCT members Mark and Haechan canceled a video call fan signing event.

Taeil debuted in 2016 as part of NCT's unit NCT U and has been active as a member of both NCT and its sub-unit NCT 127. As the eldest member and main vocalist of both teams, Taeil suffered a right thigh fracture in a traffic accident while riding a motorcycle last August, causing him to suspend activities for a while. During his absence from concerts and promotional activities for new releases, NCT 127 members frequently mentioned and expressed their longing for him on site, showcasing their friendship. This incident has caused significant damage to the team once again.

Following the news of Taeil's departure from NCT, SM Entertainment and other NCT members quickly unfollowed his social media accounts. Fans also turned their backs. When it was revealed that Taeil, who had missed a group event on the 13th citing a cold, might have actually been undergoing police investigation, the fandom, known as 'Sizzy' (NCT's official fandom name), expressed a strong sense of betrayal. Taeil's Instagram followers, which once numbered around 6 million, have sharply dropped to about 5.3 million.

A notable point in this case is SM's swift response. In the past, SM has generally protected and stood by its artists even amid incidents, accidents, or controversies. A representative example is Super Junior's Kangin. Since 2009, Kangin was at the center of controversies including drunk driving hit-and-run, assaulting civilians, and unauthorized absence from reserve forces training. Particularly, his second drunk driving incident in 2016 dealt a severe blow to team activities. However, SM did not remove Kangin from Super Junior. Kangin officially left the team only in 2019. Although he did not participate in official activities during that period, he remained a Super Junior member. In fact, SM renewed his contract in 2023.

Within NCT, Lucas faced personal life controversies in 2021 following revelations by his ex-girlfriend. Additional accusers emerged, escalating the issue, and Lucas eventually issued an apology and suspended activities. However, his official team departure occurred only in 2023. He has since been active as a solo singer under SM, releasing the single 'Renegade' in April.

Other artists such as TVXQ's Yunho and EXO's Chanyeol have also faced personal controversies but were not subjected to the extreme measure of team removal. However, in Taeil's case, SM's rapid decision to expel him has sparked curiosity about the specific charges. Considering SM's past actions, Taeil's removal suggests the matter is serious and definite.

While detailed charges have not been disclosed, various rumors about Taeil's accusation are spreading. What has been confirmed so far is that Taeil is under investigation following a report filed by an adult female victim in June.

On the 29th, the police announced that after receiving a report related to sexual crime charges against Taeil in June, they have formally booked him for investigation.