FALLEN STAR

K-Pop Idol Indicted on Rape Charge

Taeil was first questioned about his involvement in the alleged sexual assault on Aug. 28.

A K-pop idol has been indicted on a charge of rape, Korean media reported Monday. Taeil, a former NCT member, one of the best selling groups in the genre, was charged with “quasi rape” for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman along with two acquaintances in June. Neither of the additional suspected assailants are celebrities, according to reports. In South Korea, aggravated “quasi rape” is sexual assault committed while armed with a weapon or acting in concert with two or more people against a victim who is incapacitated to resist. The alleged victim is said to have been intoxicated at the time of the rape. Taeil, 30, was first questioned about his potential involvement in the crime in late August, after which his talent agency pulled him from the K-pop boy band. “We have recently learned that Taeil has been accused in a criminal case related to a sexual offense. 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,” SM Entertainment said in a statement. The agency also claimed that the music star was cooperating with law enforcement.