The Seoul Bangbae Police Station told South Korean media on Thursday (Aug 29) that former NCT member Taeil had been reported for sexual assault in June and is currently under investigation. The police announced earlier that day that the case did not involve a minor or male victim.
This came after SM Entertainment’s announcement on Wednesday that Taeil, real name Moon Tae-il, had left the band after being “accused in a criminal case related to a sexual crime”, without specifying the nature of the crime.
Netizens have since speculated that the label had known about the charges earlier, and questioned why Taeil was allowed to participate in NCT 127’s meet and greet event held on Aug 3 and 4 to celebrate the subgroup’s eighth anniversary of its debut.
SM Entertainment has denied the accusation and released this statement to South Korean media outlet Newsen: “Both the company and Taeil first learned about the indictment in mid-August. Taeil was questioned by the police on 28 August.”
Fans have been reacting to the news since the scandal broke on Aug 28 with some taking such steps as destroying Taeil’s merchandise and closing their fan accounts on social media. Angry fans have left comments such as “Shame on you” and “You should be canceled” on his Instagram posts.
It’s also been reported that NCT members have unfollowed Taeil on social media, while planned events for other group members have been cancelled, including a signing event for Jaehyun that was to have taken place on Thursday.
Taeil had been a member of NCT, or Neo Culture Technology, since its debut in 2016. He was last active in the subgroup NCT 127.