K-pop singer Taeil leaves boy band NCT after unspecified sexual assault allegations, his label says

South Korean singer Taeil has left K-pop band NCT after being accused of an unspecified sexual offense, his record label said on Wednesday.

His agency, SM Entertainment, released a statement regarding X, saying the member will be leaving the boy band after learning he “has been charged in a criminal case involving a sexual offense.” The label did not specify what the nature of the offense was.

“We recognize the seriousness of the issue and have decided that Taeil can no longer continue with the team activities,” the label said.

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

Taeil was part of NCT, or Neo Culture Technology, a globally popular South Korean boy band that debuted in 2016. The group currently consists of over two dozen members, divided into several sub-units including NCT 127, NCT Dream and NCT Wish.

Taeil was recently active in NCT 127. The group is known for experimental music in various genres and has gained international attention with a number of Billboard charting releases.

SM Entertainment’s statement was viewed more than 45.7 million times in less than three hours. The criminal case report could not be independently verified and police declined to comment.

K-pop originated in South Korea and is a fusion of Western pop, R&B, and hip-hop sounds while mixing cultural elements from the country. It has become a global phenomenon, particularly after the success of boy band BTS in the late 2010s.