The recent revelation that NCT member Taeil attended a fan meeting while facing sexual assault charges has sparked controversy among fans.
As the controversy grew, a representative from SM Entertainment clarified in an interview with Newsen on the 29th, saying: “Both our company and Taeil were first informed of the allegations in mid-August, and Taeil was questioned by the police on the 28th. We only learned about the lawsuit after meeting with fans.”
Previously, SM Entertainment released a statement on the 28th, saying: “We recently confirmed that Taeil was sued in a criminal case related to sexual assault. After understanding the seriousness of the matter, we decided that Taeil could no longer continue with the group’s activities and discussed his departure with him.”
According to the Seoul Bangbae Police Station, an individual reported to the police in June that he had been sexually assaulted by Taeil. The investigation is currently ongoing.
The problem is that Taeil continued his activities even after being sued.
Before the allegations became public, Taeil attended NCT 127’s 8th anniversary fan event held on the 3rd and 4th of this month at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, where he performed on stage.
The fact that Taeil appeared smiling in front of fans after the lawsuit became known led to criticism on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), with comments like, “How cheeky he is,” AND “Seeing him immediately kicked out of the group after the lawsuit shows how serious the matter is.”
Following the news of the sexual assault allegations against Taeil, the other members of the group, Taeyong and Doyoung, quickly unfollowed him on Instagram, thus demonstrating their rapid distancing from him.
SM Entertainment also updated their fan communication platform Weverse, changing their group photo to one without Taeil and unfollowing her account on their official Instagram.
Additionally, fan introduction events scheduled for members Jaehyun, Mark, and Haechan have been postponed, causing significant disruption to the group’s schedule.
Source: wikitree
