The 30-year-old singer Moon Taeil, professionally known as Taeil, has shocked fans following a sudden announcement on social media claiming his plans to leave NCT after allegations of se*ual crimes.
On August 28, 2024, Taeil’s official label, SM Entertainment, posted a public statement detailing the singer’s departure on its official website and Twitter.
Moreover, the post delved into the reason for Taeil’s sudden leave: the authorities had charged him with a criminal case.
As the team gathered evidence against the singer, they realized the seriousness of the accusation. They decided that Taeil could no longer remain part of the team, and the singer had a mutual agreement with the label for his departure.
SM Entertainment releases statement on TAEIL’s withdrawal from NCT:
— Kpop Charts (@kchartsmaster) August 28, 2024
— “This is SM Entertainment.
We have recently learned that Taeil has been charged with a criminal case related to sexual offenses.
As we gathered the facts, we realized the seriousness of the case and decided… pic.twitter.com/OcjbuhbBPa
Likewise, the statement read, “Taeil is cooperating fully with the police investigation and we will provide further comment as the investigation progresses. We deeply apologize for any offense our artist may have caused.“
After such revelations, fans didn’t know how to react, so they turned to Twitter to express their thoughts on the singer. One user wrote, “I’m truly so disappointed at him.. and we need to hold him accountable!“
As the investigation proceeds, many of his loyal listeners are hell-bent on defending the artist without regard for the officials’ statements and hope that NCT will take back Taeil in the future if he’s acquitted.
Taeil from NCT joins the long list of Korean artists who have been charged with such crimes in recent times!
From his overall appearance and activities on his social media accounts, especially Instagram, Teail often posted videos of himself sampling songs and his glamorous life as one of the members of the top-selling boy bands.
Previously, Taeil participated in NCT 127 during WALK comeback after a small hiatus due to a fracture and surgery.
However, news of his illegal activities emerged right after his break, damaging the career he has built over fourteen years since his debut in the group.
OH GODDDDD…… EVEN NCT AND NCT 127 INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT UNFOLLOW MOON TAEIL. pic.twitter.com/FJGJGy7Blh
— V (@lastnamevy) August 28, 2024
Likewise, many of the fans are starting to unfollow NCT after such activities of Taeil as one of the stan accounts on Twitter expressed, “Stanning them from predebut til this day you wouldnt expect something like this from taeil, just simply shows we do not know anything about these guys other than their whole idol persona, we really cannot trust any man at all.“
This isn’t the first time authorities have charged a K-pop idol with se*ual crimes, as these cases have been rampant in the music industry in the past few years.
In one of the earlier cases, prosecutors sought seven years in prison for Himchan, a member of the now-disbanded band B.A.P, on SA charges because he underwent several trials in a short period.
Additionally, the Burning Sun documentary, released in June 2024, revealed the K-pop group chats among celebrities that talked about human trafficking, substance ab*se, and violence.
As Taeil awaits court visit dates, officials have protected the details of the victim and the case for legal reasons.
Additional Information
- Born June 14, 1999, Taeil grew up in a small family with his parents and a younger sister. Initially, he dreamt of being a zookeeper but later developed a passion for music composition.
- SM Entertainment discovered the artist through talent scouting at a Youth Singing Contest while Taeil was a student at Hanyang University.
- According to several reports, Taeil’s estimated net worth in 2024 was $5 million, amassed from album releases and world tours.
