K-pop band NCT drops singer Taeil over sex crime allegations – DW

South Korean singer Taeil has been kicked out of popular K-pop group NCT after being accused of committing an unspecified sex crime, his label SM Entertainment said on Wednesday.

“We have recognized the seriousness of the issue and have decided that Taeil can no longer continue team activities,” SM Entertainment wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“We have discussed this matter with Taeil and it has been decided that he will leave the group,” it said. Taeil is cooperating fully with the police investigation.

The singer is also the fourth NCT member to leave the group in recent years. Earlier this year, SM Entertainment released a statement denying allegations that NCT members Johnny and Haechan were involved in a sex scandal.

What is NCT?

Taeil was a member of NCT (Neo Culture Technology), one of several South Korean boy bands that have achieved some success on the world stage. The group debuted in 2016.

The group is known for their genre-bending experimental music and has gained international attention with several releases on the Billboard charts.

The group currently has more than two dozen members and is divided into several sub-units, including NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT Wish. Taeil was active in NCT 127.

K-pop originated in South Korea and is a mix of pop, R&B and hip hop sounds from the West with a blend of cultural elements from the country. It became a global phenomenon, especially after the success of boy band BTS in the late 2010s.

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dh/ab (AP)