Recently, on online communities, a video of Taeil conducting an Instagram live broadcast on June 14 has been spreading. It is reported that Taeil had been booked by the police the day before, on June 13, after the victim filed a complaint.
In the video, Taeil appeared somewhat low in energy as he interacted with fans. He said, “Thank you so much to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. Thanks to you, I was able to have a happy birthday.”
The YouTube channel where the video was uploaded is now flooded with comments from fans expressing feelings of betrayal:
- The light in his eyes is completely gone.
- I wasted 6 years of my life liking him.
- You’re seriously scary and creepy. How could you do this to your fans?
- Your eyes are completely different from the Taeil I knew.
- Never show yourself in front of the other members again.
- There’s no life left in his eyes.
- You should be punished.
- How could you do this after committing such a crime?
- Special rape? What kind of person are you?
On October 7, Chosun Ilbo reported that Taeil had been investigated by the Seoul Bangbae Police Station for charges of special rape and was handed over to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office last month.
The charge of special rape applies when someone commits sexual acts with an incapacitated person, either while possessing a weapon or with 2 or more individuals involved. If the charge is proven, the sentence is at least 7 years in prison or life imprisonment, according to Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.
In response, NCT’s agency SM Entertainment made an official statement after Taeil’s police questioning, “We have confirmed that Taeil has been sued in a criminal case related to a sexual offense. Recognizing the severity of the matter, we determined that he could no longer continue team activities and, after discussions with Taeil, decided on his departure from the team.”
Source: Nate
