Taeil, formerly a member of the popular K-pop group NCT, has experienced a significant decline in his social media following after his abrupt removal from the group amid serious allegations. As of Friday, Taeil's Instagram account lost approximately 1 million followers, dropping from around 6 million after he was expelled from NCT earlier this week. The decision to remove Taeil from the group was made by SM Entertainment following the emergence of a sexual crime accusation against him.

Taeil, who was once celebrated for setting a Guinness World Record in 2021 for gaining 1 million followers on Instagram in just 1 hour and 45 minutes, now faces widespread backlash. In addition to the mass unfollowing by fans, all of his former bandmates across various NCT units have also unfollowed him on social media, further distancing themselves from the controversy.

Since the news broke, Taeil has remained silent, choosing not to release any statements or comments regarding the accusations or his expulsion from the group. His silence has only fueled speculation and concern among fans and the public.

The scandal has also had a ripple effect on NCT's ongoing activities. A scheduled autograph session on Thursday for Jaehyun meant to celebrate the release of his first solo album, was postponed. Additionally, a video call event for Mark and Haechan of NCT Dream was also delayed. These disruptions suggest that the allegations against Taeil have had a broader impact on the group's schedule and morale.

As the situation continues to unfold, the future for Taeil remains uncertain, and the impact of this scandal on NCT as a whole is yet to be fully seen. Both the K-pop industry and fans are watching closely to see how SM Entertainment and the remaining NCT members will navigate this challenging period.

Sayart / Chloe Kim, 2022chloe.k@gmil.com