On October 15, SM Entertainment made an official announcement stating: “Taeil’s exclusive contract has been terminated as of today.”
Taeil is currently under investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office for a criminal complaint. He was accused of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman along with two non-celebrities and was charged in June.
The revelation that Taeil had been transferred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office for special sexual assault charges caused considerable controversy.
The crime of special sexual assault applies when an individual possesses a weapon or has sexual intercourse with someone incapacitated, alone or together with two or more people. If the charges are confirmed, Taeil could face a minimum prison sentence of 7 years or life in prison.
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Taeil debuted in 2016 as a member of NCT and has been actively involved in NCT 127 and NCT U.
The following is the official statement from SM Entertainment:
“SM Entertainment hereby announces that the exclusive contract with Taeil has been terminated effective October 15, 2024.
Taeil is currently under investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office for a criminal complaint, which constitutes grounds for termination of his exclusive contract. We have decided to terminate the contract with his consent due to the inability to continue to trust him as an artist.
We sincerely apologize for the concern caused by our former artist Taeil.
Source: Wikitree
