K-pop band NCT drops singer Taeil amid sex crime accusations

South Korean singer Taeil has been kicked out of the popular K-pop group NCT after he was accused of having committed an unspecified sexual crime, his label SM Entertainment has said.

"We recognized the seriousness of the issue, and we have decided that Taeil can no longer continue team activities," SM Entertainment wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"We have discussed this matter with Taeil, and it has been decided that he will leave the group," it said, adding that Taeil is fully cooperating with the police investigation.

The singer is also the fourth member of NCT to leave the group in recent years. Earlier this year, SM Entertainment released a statement denying allegations that NCT members Johnny and Haechan were involved in a sex scandal.

What is NCT?

Taeil was a member of NCT, or Neo Culture Technology, one of several South Korean boy bands that have achieved some success on the global stage. The group debuted in 2016.

The group is known for its experimental music that spans multiple genres and has gained international attention with some of its releases appearing on the Billboard charts.

The group currently has more than two dozen members and is divided into several subunits, including NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT Wish. Taeil was active in NCT 127.

K-pop has its origins in South Korea and is an amalgamation of pop, R&B and hip-hop sounds from the West with a blend of cultural elements from the country. It became a global phenomenon, especially after the success of the boyband BTS in the late 2010s.