#MeToo: NCT’s Taeil to Squid Game’s O Yeong-su, K-pop idols and K-drama actors accused of sexual misconduct

Fans of K-pop boy band NCT were left gutted after news of Taeil’s official exit from the spin-off band NCT 127 was formally announced SM Entertainment, as per a Soompi report. The reason behind the K-pop singer’s exit, as confirmed in SM Entertainment’s statement, is the sexual offense allegation currently levied on him. In light of the same, here’s taking a look at K-stars, across the music and silver screen industries, discredited in the wake of #MeToo accountability. NCT’s Taeil to Squid Game’s O Yeong-su: K-stars accused of sexual misconduct Everything we know about the reason behind Taeil’s NCT exitIn an official statement shared SM Entertainment on August 28, it was confirmed that Taeil is in fact, in the midst of a thorough police investigation, one that he is reportedly cooperating in. An excerpt from the announcement read, “This is SM Entertainment. 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 (NCT). After discussing with Taeil, we have decided on his departure from the group”. The statement also went on to apologise for the “concern and dress caused (their) art”. Following news of the singer’s official exit, coupled with band member Haechan unfollowing him on social media, (former) fans of the singer have been vocal in expressing their disappointment over everything that has come to light. Many have taken to their social media handles to share glimpses of them burning photos of, and merchandise from, Taeil to express their disagreement with his alleged actions. This is a developing story. O Yeong-suO Yeong-su rose to international fame back in 2021, having essayed the role of Oh Il-nam in the first season of Squid Game. The fame, however, soon enough descended into infamy as reports emerged of the 79-year-old actor having been accused of two counts of sexual misconduct against a woman. The reported incident took place 5 years back in 2017 when he was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance. An AFP report asserted that O allegedly hugged and kissed a woman against her will. Though O denied the claims, he was convicted of the same earlier this year in March. The allegations and conviction also eventually led him to be edited out of an upcoming film project of his. Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoonJung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon were implicated in 2021 as part of the larger impact that the Burning Sun scandal had in South Korea. Under it, multiple Korean celebrities, idols and officials came under fire for their systematic web of sexual abuse. Former musician Jung Joon-young was at the center of it all, being sentenced to 6 years of jail time over 11 counts of sexual assault against women who were not in a position to defend themselves. He was also implicated in circulating explicit material related to these women on a group chat. FTISLAND’s Choi Jong-hoon was sentenced to 5 years in prison over 9 charges in relation to the Burning Sun scandal. Yoo Ah-inKnown for his work across projects like Burning (2018), Voice of Silence (2020) and Hellbound (2021), actor Yoo Ah-in was accused of sexual misconduct against a man earlier this year. As per a The Korean Herald report, the 30-year-old man who filed the complaint was “sleeping at a unit of a commercial residential building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul”. The residence neither belonged to the actor nor the unnamed man and reportedly had other men present there as well. Yoo’s lawyer Park Jung Hyun has denied the claims. Jo Min-kiSouth Korean actor Jo Min-ki was found hanged in a storage area of his Seoul residence back in March of 2018. His sudden demise came after he was slapped with at least 8 allegations of sexual misconduct. Most of the alleged victims were drama students who had been under the tutelage of Jo, who besides his acting career was also serving as a professor at a provincial university. Back home, the #MeToo movement is seeing a renewal of sorts with the Malayalam film industry bearing the weight of the Hema Committee report findings. Its ripple effects have also made its way to the Bengali film industry, shedding light on the exence of predatory patriarchal patterns in every corner of the world.