The controversy surrounding Joohakyun began when it was reported that he had a private meeting with former AV actress Asuka Kirara at a private bar in Tokyo, Japan, at the end of last month. Following this, a complaint was filed through the National Assembly's reporting system, calling for an investigation into his 'allegations of overseas prostitution' and the agency's involvement, raising the stakes. The complainant alleged that Joohakyun engaged in prostitution during his stay in Japan and indicated evidence that he admitted to payment, which they pointed out as a violation of the Act on the Punishment of Arranging Sexual Traffic.
As the controversy spread, the agency, One Hundred Red, immediately took measures to suspend Joohakyun’s activities and confirm the facts. Subsequently, they announced, "We have taken the seriousness of this matter to heart and clearly recognize that it is difficult to continue maintaining trust as an artist," and after discussions with The Boyz members, they ultimately confirmed Joohakyun's departure from the team and termination of his exclusive contract.
However, Joohakyun denied this by stating, "I have never engaged in prostitution or any illegal acts," while also expressing, "I want to sincerely apologize to those who might be shocked by my actions," thus countering the agency's position.
Joohakyun then once again stepped forward to strongly rebut his agency's claims, steering the situation into a truth game. He first warned, "Despite already clarifying that I have not engaged in any illegal behavior, I will take all legal action against certain reporters and media outlets that continue to write malicious articles," and then issued a bold challenge, stating, "If there is evidence that I engaged in prostitution, I hope it will be made public immediately."
The most shocking part was the exposure directed at his agency. Joohakyun stated, "I have not withdrawn from the team, nor have I agreed to the termination of my exclusive contract." He claimed that the agency is attempting to make it seem like there are grounds for termination, despite there being none stated in the contract, and asserted, "They demanded that I leave while seeking compensation of over 2 billion won." Joohakyun emphasized that informing the media about the termination of the contract despite his refusal is a clear falsehood.
Additionally, Joohakyun criticized strongly, saying, "I want to question whether it is truly the agency's attitude to protect artists when they unilaterally expel me from the team just because I was seated with a famous person in a private setting and are extorting contract termination while mentioning compensation of over 2 billion won." He further stated that the agency, seeing that he does not accept the contract termination, has unilaterally sent a certified letter and threatened compensation without following proper procedures.
Joohakyun also revealed the reason for declaring a war that could be burdensome to face alone. He said, "It's very scary, but I thought that if I give in here, this society could become a place where people without power can collapse for things they haven’t done," expressing his hope that he can be a small support for someone.
The controversy surrounding Joohakyun has now transcended accusations of prostitution and entered a complex legal struggle and truth contest between him and his agency. This incident, which has shocked the K-pop fandom, draws attention to what truths will be revealed and how it will conclude, given the fierce claims between the artist and the agency in addition to the police investigation.
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