Jo Hak-nyeon (26), a former member of the group The Boyz, has been excluded from the team and his exclusive contract has been terminated after a private meeting with a Japanese adult video (AV) actress, amid strong backlash against the termination process by his agency, One Hundred.
On the 22nd, Jo Hak-nyeon claimed on his social media (SNS) that he was demanded an exorbitant penalty fee that was not chargeable under the contract.
He met AV actress Asuka Kirara (37) in Tokyo, Japan, at the end of last month, and he explained that he informed his agency of the situation ahead of the report by the Japanese publication Shūkan Bunshun. He added, "I immediately halted my activities to acknowledge my wrongdoings and minimize the damage," and stated, "The agency suddenly forced me to sign a settlement agreement demanding over 2 billion won."
Jo Hak-nyeon specifically pointed out that the contract termination process was abnormal. He said, "When I did not sign the prepared settlement agreement on the 17th, it was officially announced the next day that I would withdraw," raising suspicions about the whole process, which felt prepared, and he suggested that someone was creating reasons for the contract termination. He further indicated that reports about his meeting with the AV actress and allegations of prostitution were released in succession even before the article from Shūkan Bunshun.
He also strongly denied the allegations of prostitution. He stated, "The acts that damage dignity specified in the contract include drunk driving, drug use, gambling, prostitution, assault, sexual assault, and fraud, but I have not committed any of the mentioned crimes," and criticized, "The agency unilaterally expelled me without following the termination procedure outlined in the contract."
In response, One Hundred stated, "We have sufficiently communicated that the grounds for termination of the contract are in accordance with Article 6, Paragraph 3 of the exclusive contract, which states 'acts that damage dignity to the extent that they interfere with entertainment activities.'"
Meanwhile, on the 21st, Shūkan Bunshun sparked controversy by releasing photos of Jo Hak-nyeon with Asuka Kirara. Jo Hak-nyeon remarked, "For unknown reasons, I became a sex offender overnight and was subjected to character assassination," and stated, "I will hold the reporters and media outlets accountable who reported me as a sex offender without any basis."