Till a week ago, Taeil was considered one of the greenest flags among K-pop idols. However, one announcement was all it took to reveal his true colours. The former member of NCT is currently under police investigation for a sexual crime.
Who is Taeil?
Moon Tae-il, better known by his moniker Taeil, is a singer-songwriter. Discovered by SM Entertainment shortly after he enrolled at Hanyang University’s Music Department, Taeil decided to leave the prestigious university to pursue his dream of becoming a singer under the label.
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After being introduced as a member of SMROOKIES in 2013 and participating in various pre-debut activities, Taeil made his official debut with NCT in 2016. SM Entertainment's boy group NCT is well known for its unique concept of having several subunits. Currently, NCT has six sub-units, namely, NCT 127, NCT Dream, NCT U, WAYV, NCT Dojaejung and NCT Wish. Taeil was active as a main vocalist in NCT 127 and NCT U.
NCT 2020 YearParty#NCT2020#RESONANCE#RESONANCE_Pt1#NCT#NCT2020_RESONANCE#YearParty#NCT2020_YearPartypic.twitter.com/UlT6jOzCZe
— NCT (@NCTsmtown) September 22, 2020
He has also released a bunch of solo projects like Ordinary Day with SHINee’s Onew and Super Junior’s Kyuhyun, Purple with Sohlhee, Starlight (Twenty-Five Twenty-One OST),Because of You (The Merchant: Gaekju 2015 OST) and more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNj-GhxPM0g
Why has Taeil left NCT?
On August 28, SM Entertainment announced Taeil’s removal from NCT due to allegations of sex crimes. “We have recently learned that Taeil has been accused in a criminal case related to a sexual offense. As we were assessing the facts related to the matter, we recognized the severity of the situation and determined that Taeil can no longer continue his activities with the team (NCT). After discussing with Taeil, we have decided on his departure from the group,” the label stated. SM Entertainment further added that the singer is cooperating with the investigation, which is reportedly being carried out by the Seoul Bangbae Police.
ALSO READ: NCT's Taeil Sexual Crime Scandal: SM Entertainment Learned Of Shocking Allegations In Mid-August
Soon after the announcement, rumours about the case and the victim started spreading online. While some claimed that the victim was born in 2006 and Taeil has harassed her since she was a minor, others alleged that Taeil sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl and left her permanently disabled. There were also rumours that Taeil had blackmailed the victim, sent death threats, hacked and hidden a secret camera on her phone and threatened to kill her mother, who was hospitalized at the time. He was also rumoured to be a part of an Nth room with more than 200 famous Korean men. For the unversed, Nth Room case is a criminal case involving blackmail, cybersex trafficking and the spread of sexually exploitative videos via Telegram.
However, the Seoul Bangbae Police Station cleared up some rumours. A police official revealed that Taeil was booked after a report was filed by a legal adult woman in June 2024 regarding an alleged sexual offense.
Following the police's statement, a source from SM Entertainment shared, “The agency and Taeil learned about the indictment around the middle of this month. Taeil was investigated by the police on August 28.” Aside from the police and SM Entertainment's statements, nothing else is confirmed.
ALSO READ: Haechan Vows To Protect NCT Following Taeil's Exit From K-pop Group Over Sex Crime Allegations
Taeil’s case reminds us once again that one should not place their complete faith in celebrities. Fans are unaware of what stars are like behind closed doors, especially K-pop idols who are often assigned particular personalities by their labels.