As of 10 AM on the 29th, SM Entertainment’s stock is trading at 63,300 KRW, down 3.95% (2,600 KRW). The decline in stock price is attributed to the image damage to NCT and management issues following the news of NCT member Taeil being sued for a sex crime and subsequently leaving the group.
On the same day, SM Entertainment told TenAsia, “We and Taeil first became aware of the lawsuit in mid-August, and Taeil was questioned by the police on the 28th.”
According to the Seoul Bangbae Police Station on the same day, the report regarding Taeil’s alleged sex crime was filed in June. This has led to controversy among fans, accusing SM and Taeil of concealing the lawsuit while allowing Taeil to continue participating in group activities. NCT 127, to which Taeil belonged, made a comeback in July with their 6th full-length album ‘WALK.’ Although Taeil did not appear in music broadcasts due to injuries from a motorcycle accident, he did participate in recording the album and filming the music video. He also attended NCT 127’s 8th-anniversary fan meeting, which took place on the 3rd and 4th of this month.
Earlier, SM Entertainment stated on the 28th, “We recently confirmed that Taeil was sued in a criminal case related to a sex crime. While assessing the facts, we recognized the seriousness of the situation and decided that he could no longer continue team activities. After discussions with Taeil, it was decided that he would leave the team.”
They added, “Taeil is currently cooperating fully with the police investigation. We will provide additional statements as the investigation progresses. We deeply apologize for the trouble caused by our artist.”
Source: daum
