[Sportschosun Reporter Minjeong Cho] SM Entertainment is facing fierce criticism after selling stage clothing worn by former NCT member Taeil, who was expelled over a sex crime, at an official NCT flea market. The controversy over lax screening intensified after reports emerged that Taeil's name was still written on the clothing in question.
SM Entertainment held the 'NCT Flea Market' on the lawn plaza at World Park in Lotte World Tower, Songpa District, Seoul, on the 6th to commemorate the 10th anniversary of NCT's brand launch. Stage outfits worn by NCT members during their activities over the past decade, along with personal items, were sold at the event.
The controversy erupted when a fan who purchased clothing at the flea market claimed that the item had belonged to Taeil. Photos released online showed a black jacket and denim clothing hanging on hangers. After comparing past videos and photos, fans identified the black jacket as the same one Taeil wore in the music video for 'Chain,' a 2018 song by NCT 127. The word 'Taeil' was also still visible inside the collar of another denim item, drawing attention.
A fan who said they bought the black jacket for 150,000 won wrote on social media, "It was an expensive brand item, so I gave up trying to identify it and just bought it, but it turned out to be Taeil's clothing." The fan angrily added, "Who would want to buy a criminal's clothes? How could they sell something like this, even at a flea market?"
The fan, who said they would file a formal complaint with SM Entertainment, claimed that after raising the issue at the venue, they received an apology and a refund. SM Entertainment also reportedly acknowledged that clothing worn by Taeil had been included among the items sold at the flea market.
Criticism from fans grew even stronger because Taeil's name remained on the clothing and price tags had been attached for sale. The fact that the event was a charity sale, with proceeds donated to support women, youth and cultural initiatives, further fueled the controversy.
Online users reacted by saying, "It is hard to understand how they failed to check the name while putting the clothes on hangers and attaching price tags," "Items belonging to a departed member should have been filtered out as a basic measure," "This was an official event for fans—did they not conduct even the minimum screening?" and "This is not an issue that can be resolved with a refund." Some also suggested that the incident may have been a mistake made while sorting a large number of items.
Meanwhile, Taeil was indicted in June 2024 on charges of sexually assaulting a foreign woman who was incapable of resisting while intoxicated, together with two acquaintances. SM Entertainment announced Taeil's departure from NCT in August of the same year and terminated his exclusive contract in October. In December 2025, the Supreme Court of Korea upheld the lower court's sentence of three years and six months in prison for Taeil and his accomplices, who had been indicted on charges of quasi-rape under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. The orders requiring them to complete 40 hours of a sexual-violence treatment program and barring employment for five years at institutions related to children, adolescents and people with disabilities were also upheld.
Minjeong Cho mj.cho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
