On August 29, 2024, SM Entertainment found itself in the midst of a scandal as they denied allegations of covering up Moon Taeil’s s*xual offense charges for two months. Moon Taeil, a member of the popular K-pop groups NCT and NCT 127, was officially charged on August 28, leading to his immediate removal from the groups by the company.
Reports from Allkpop revealed that a female victim had filed a complaint against Moon Taeil back in June 2024. This sparked outrage among fans and the public, accusing SM Entertainment of concealing the case and allowing Taeil to continue promoting NCT 127’s latest comeback album, “Walk,” since July 23. However, SM Entertainment refuted these claims by stating that they were only made aware of the case in mid-August, and the investigation officially began on August 28.
In a shocking turn of events, DearU Bubble, a fan community app similar to HYBE’s Weverse, announced on August 29 that they had terminated Taeil’s services and account from their platform. This decision took effect immediately, with refunds being issued to fans who had subscribed to him exclusively as per the app’s guidelines.
SM Entertainment also released a statement on August 28, confirming Taeil’s removal from NCT and NCT 127 due to the ongoing s*xual offense criminal case against him. The company expressed deep regret over the situation and emphasized that Taeil was cooperating with the police investigation. All NCT members took swift action by unfollowing him on social media, with some even deleting photos with him.
The Seoul Bangbae Police Station clarified that the charges against Moon Taeil did not involve any offense against a minor of the same gender. However, the investigation is still ongoing to uncover more details. In the wake of these events, NCT member Jaehyun decided to halt his solo album promotion in light of the criminal case involving his former bandmate.
This scandal has rocked the K-pop industry and the fan community, raising questions about accountability and transparency within entertainment companies. As the investigation continues, fans and industry insiders are eagerly awaiting further developments in this troubling case.
