SM Entertainment criticized for selling imprisoned former NCT member Taeil's outfit at charity flea market

SM Entertainment is facing criticism after an outfit previously worn by former NCT member Taeil, who is in jail for rape, was sold at a charity flea market held to mark the group’s 10th anniversary.

The controversy emerged Sunday after a fan who attended the NCT Flea Market in Seoul posted photos on X of a black jacket they had purchased for 150,000 won ($111), later identifying it as an outfit Taeil wore in NCT 127’s 2018 music video for “Chain.”

“What fan would want to buy a criminal’s clothes? No matter if it’s a flea market, does it make sense to sell something like this?” the fan wrote, saying they planned to file a formal complaint with SM Entertainment.

The fan later said they received an apology and refund after raising the issue at the venue.

In a statement to local media, SM confirmed that an outfit worn by Taeil had been included in the flea market, adding that it was “seeking further details from the department responsible for organizing the event.”

The incident has raised questions over how items were screened before being put up for sale, particularly given Taeil’s departure from NCT following criminal charges and the charitable purpose of the event.

The flea market was held Sunday at Lotte World Tower’s lawn plaza as part of a collaboration between NCT and Seoul Fashion Week celebrating the 10th anniversary of the NCT brand. It featured stage costumes and personal items associated with the group’s activities over the past decade.

SM previously said all proceeds from the event would be donated to causes supporting women, youth and culture.

“It is true that the proceeds from the charity event would go to people in need, but that doesn’t suddenly make selling the clothing of an imprisoned sex offender fit the purpose of the charity event,” the fan wrote. “Selling items belonging to a sex offender by a company whose main customer base is women is itself deceptive and wrong,” the fan added.

Taeil was sentenced to three years and six months in prison in July 2025 after being convicted of raping an intoxicated Chinese tourist alongside two accomplices. He left NCT in August 2024 after the allegations first emerged, and SM Entertainment terminated his exclusive contract.

Beyond Taeil’s outfit, fans also questioned the inclusion of clothing worn by former NCT members. Items believed to have been worn by Lucas, who left NCT and WayV in 2023 following controversy over his relationships with women, and Sungchan, who left NCT the same year before later debuting as a member of Riize, were also put up for sale.

Some attendees also posted photos of items that appeared to retain traces of makeup from when members wore them.

The complaints have also fueled a broader discussion surrounding the flea market itself. Some fans questioned whether selling stage-worn clothing at fixed prices could lead to the items being purchased by resellers rather than fans. Others welcomed the format as a more accessible alternative to auctions, where celebrity memorabilia can fetch significantly higher prices.