ANN/THE KOREA HERALD – Taeil, a former member of the K-pop group NCT, has been officially dropped from SM Entertainment, with the label announcing on Wednesday that both parties had mutually agreed to terminate his contract, effective October 15.
In a statement, SM Entertainment said, “Taeil is currently under police investigation for criminal charges, which constitutes grounds for termination. Moreover, we have lost confidence in him as an artist.”
The company also issued an apology for the distress caused to fans and the public.
Taeil made his debut with NCT in 2016 but departed from the group in late August after it emerged that he was under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct.
According to local news reports, he faces charges of special quasi-rape, accused of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman alongside two other men. If convicted, Taeil could face a minimum sentence of seven years in prison.
