K-pop singer Taeil leaves boy band due to sexual assault allegations

South Korean singer Taeil has left K-pop band NCT after being accused of an unspecified sex crime, his label announced on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old's agency, SM Entertainment, released a statement about X, saying the NCT member would be leaving the boy band after learning that he had been “accused of criminal proceedings related to a sex crime.”

The label did not provide further details on the nature of the alleged crime, but said it had “recognized the seriousness of the situation” and decided that Taeil, whose real name is Moon Tae-il, could no longer “continue his activities with the team.”

Taeil has not commented publicly on the allegations.

SM Entertainment added that it is fully cooperating with the police investigation.

“We will provide further comments as the investigation progresses,” said the statement, which was published in Korean and translated by the Associated Press.

According to South Korean media, the Bangbae Police Station in Seoul announced that Taeil was being investigated for a sex crime.

The BBC was unable to reach police for comment.

Taeil was part of NCT (Neo Culture Technology), a globally popular South Korean boy band that debuted in 2016.

The group currently has over two dozen members divided into several sub-units, including NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT Wish.

Taeil was most recently active in NCT 127.

On August 15 last year, Taeil had a car accident while riding his motorcycle in downtown Seoul, South Korea.

He has temporarily suspended his duty schedule to focus on treatment and recovery.

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

K-Pop originates from South Korea and is a mix of pop, R&B and hip-hop.

It has become a global phenomenon, especially after the success of boy band BTS in the late 2010s.