By Spencer De Tenley, Managing Editor

K-pop group NCT member Moon Tae-il left the group this week, known to fans as Taeil, after recent criminal allegations and a police investigation in relation to a sexual offense.

SM Entertainment, the group’s management company, released a statement to fans addressing the situation. 

“We have recently learned that Taeil has been accused in a criminal case related to a sexual offense,” the company said in a social media post translated from Korean. “As we were assessing the facts related to the matter, we recognized the severity of the situation and determined that Taeil can no longer continue his activities with the team. After discussing with Taeil, we have decided on his departure from the group.”

This departure comes as a shock to many fans since Taeil was on medical hiatus for a year before his inclusion in the group’s most recent release. 

Taeil is “currently cooperating fully,” SM Entertainment said in relation to the ongoing police investigation. 

After the initial statement by SM Entertainment, police have provided more details on the situation, detailing that the accuser is an adult woman. The police statement came after rumors online had spread about the offense being against either an 11-year-old boy or girl. While the pedophilia rumors have been dispelled, much about the case is still confidential.

While Taeil was removed from NCT, it is still unclear whether he has been removed from SM Entertainment entirely. 

This year, former member of NCT Wong Yuk-hei, known professionally as Lucas, was  left the group due to cheating and gaslighting allegations from his ex-girlfriends. Even though Lucas was removed from the group, he is still  an artist under SM Entertainment, debuting as a soloist a year after his departure from NCT.

Member of NCT Lee Dong-hyuck, known as Haechan, broke his fellow group members’ silence with a statement to fans.

“How can it be that this year marks our eighth anniversary… To be honest, I started this job with a love for singing and dancing, but I realized that there are many more things that are more important and that I have to take into consideration, other than singing and dancing,” Haechan said, speaking on his years with the group.

“Of course, I’m still learning, but the thing that I’ve come to learn the most is that we always have to work hard so that we are not deluded” Haechan said.“I’m able to do all these things because I have such members by my side. Although all these things we have achieved may seem like nothing to some people, we really worked so hard.” 

While not addressing the Taeil controversy directly, some fans have found reassurance in this statement. In the wake of the news, many fans have taken to social media to express their thoughts on the situation.

“You are a kpop idol all this time while being vile? May you rot in jail and hell,” said X user @byeoncutie.

Another user @wonsunsunn shared asimilar sentiment: “And here I thought Taeil was the greenest flag in nct little did I know, I’m gonna vomit.”