Joo Hak-nyeon, a former member of the group The Boyz, claimed that the termination of his exclusive contract with the agency was unjust and denied allegations of prostitution with Asuka Kirara.
On the 22nd, Joo Hak-nyeon stated through his personal account, "Before receiving a questionnaire from the agency through Shūkan Bunshun, I learned beforehand that photos had been taken, so I immediately explained the situation as it was to the agency and asked for help. I acknowledge the parts I did wrong and aimed to make choices to minimize any damage to the members," adding, "As a result, I immediately suspended my activities and discussed subsequent measures with the company."
Earlier, the agency One Hundred Percent announced the temporary suspension of Joo Hak-nyeon's activities on the 16th, explaining it was due to "personal circumstances." Subsequently, on the 18th, it was revealed that Joo Hak-nyeon had met privately with former AV actress Asuka Kirara at a private bar in Tokyo at the end of last month, causing shock. Following this, reports emerged alleging that Joo Hak-nyeon had paid for sexual services, escalating the private meeting into the "Joo Hak-nyeon AV actress prostitution allegations."
The agency stated in an official position, "We announced the withdrawal from the team and the termination of the exclusive contract, and as soon as we learned about Joo Hak-nyeon's involvement in personal issues, we took action to suspend his activities and took time to closely verify the facts. As a result, we recognized the seriousness of the matter and clearly understood that it would be difficult to continue trust as an artist."
Joo Hak-nyeon later posted an apology, saying, "To the fans who might have been shocked by the articles about me and to everyone else, I apologize for causing distress due to this unfortunate incident," while bowing his head.
However, regarding the prostitution allegations, he stated, "On May 30, 2025, I was at a drinking gathering with acquaintances, and while it is true that I was there, I have never engaged in prostitution or any illegal activities as mentioned in articles and rumors," adding, "I deeply reflect on my actions and sincerely apologize to those who might have been shocked."
Nevertheless, the controversy did not easily settle, and Joo Hak-nyeon reiterated his position through another statement, stating, "Despite already stating clearly that I did not engage in any illegal activities, I will take all legal actions against certain reporters and media outlets that continue to write malicious articles."
In particular, Joo Hak-nyeon stated, "If there is evidence that I engaged in prostitution, I would like you to disclose it immediately. Also, I have not withdrawn from the team, nor have I agreed to the termination of my contract," adding, "The agency is trying to make it seem as though there are grounds for termination even though there are none specified in the contract, and some media are defaming me without any basis by mentioning prostitution."
According to Joo Hak-nyeon, the agency demanded compensation of more than 2 billion won and told him to leave the company; however, he did not accept this. Nevertheless, the agency informed the media that the contract termination had been confirmed, emphasizing that this was a clear falsehood. Joo Hak-nyeon stated, "I want to question whether it is really the agency's attitude to protect an artist to unilaterally oust me from the team just because I was seen with a famous person in a private setting and to demand more than 2 billion won in damages."
Regarding Joo Hak-nyeon's claims, the agency stated on the 20th, "In accordance with the provisions in the exclusive contract, we have terminated the contract with Mr. Joo Hak-nyeon, and we clearly affirm that this was a just and rational action. The essence of this matter lies in Mr. Joo's evasion of responsibility and repeated distorted claims. If Mr. Joo continues to make such claims, the agency's artists and company will take all legal measures to ensure they do not suffer harm as a result and will present evidence and materials to legal authorities."
Consequently, Joo Hak-nyeon stated, "The agency suddenly demanded that I sign an agreement to pay more than 2 billion won along with the contract termination. They even demanded penalties that could not be claimed under the contract, saying there was no room for negotiation," adding, "I could not accept the agency's unjust demands. On the 17th, when I did not sign the prepared termination agreement, the next day the agency suddenly announced my withdrawal as an official position."
He further explained, "Even before the article came out in Shūkan Bunshun, articles started appearing immediately afterwards about meeting the AV actress, and suddenly there were exclusive reports claiming I engaged in prostitution. Based on that article, other media outlets, bloggers, and YouTubers made me a shameless prostitution criminal overnight," adding, "And the very next day, someone reported me to the investigation agency for prostitution based on false articles. The entire process seemed too suspicious, as if someone were fabricating reasons for the termination of my contract."
Joo Hak-nyeon said, "The fear of being branded a prostitution criminal for the rest of my life has increased. Therefore, I could not just stay still. I announced a position statement and filed a lawsuit against the reporter who made the false report. I also plan to file a civil claim against that reporter and media outlet. Furthermore, I intend to sue the person who reported me as soon as the false articles were released for false accusation."
Joo Hak-nyeon claimed that the agency's demand for his withdrawal was unjust, stating, "The original text of the exclusive contract specifies acts that damage dignity, such as 'driving under the influence, drugs, gambling, prostitution, assault, sexual assault, fraud, etc.,' which concretely defines acts that damage dignity. I have never committed any of the crimes mentioned in that clause. The agency unilaterally expelled me without following the termination procedures stipulated in Article 15, Paragraph 1 of the exclusive contract."
In the end, Joo Hak-nyeon expressed, "I am not claiming that my conduct is correct at all. I am very sorry for showing my indiscreet behavior to the fans who believed in and supported me as an idol. I sincerely and deeply reflect on this and will carry it in my heart for the rest of my life," while also saying, "However, for some unknown reason, I became a sexual crime suspect overnight, and for the first time, I felt like I wanted to die. It seems everywhere I go, people are looking at me and pointing fingers at me."
Meanwhile, Asuka Kirara, who was implicated in the prostitution allegations with Joo Hak-nyeon, also stated, "I have never received money for sexual acts in my life, not even this time. It seems that the woman who met Joo Hak-nyeon for the first time liked him, and the photo was taken and sold to Bunshun."
In this context, both sides actively denied the prostitution allegations while Joo Hak-nyeon continues to assert that the termination of his exclusive contract with the agency One Hundred Percent is unjust. The One Hundred Percent side has stated that it would take legal action if Joo Hak-nyeon's claims continue, raising attention to whether this conflict will escalate into a legal battle.
[Photo] OSEN DB, SNS
[OSEN]