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Fans around the world were completely left shocked to hear K-pop star Ju Haknyeon officially left his group, THE BOYZ.

On June 18, the agency of the boy group, ONE HUNDRED, officially announced the artist's departure and the termination of his exclusive contract.

"As soon as we were informed of issues involving Ju Haknyeon's private life, our company immediately suspended his activities and took time to thoroughly verify the facts," they stated in Hangul.

"As a result, we have come to recognize the seriousness of this issue and have clearly determined that it is no longer possible for us to maintain the trust in him as an artist. After sufficient discussions with the members of THE BOYZ, we have made the final decision for Ju Haknyeon to depart the team and to terminate his exclusive contract.

"We ask for your deep understanding as this decision was an unavoidable measure to protect the members and the team. We would like to inform you that, as of today, Ju Haknyeon will cease all activities as a member of THE BOYZ."

ONE HUNDRED then promised to continue supporting the rest of the remaining members and apologize to fans for the bad news.

Although the reason for the agency's action wasn't specifically clarified, news reports stated Ju Haknyeon allegedly met up privately with former Japanese AV (adult video) actress Asuka Kirara in the form of prostitution.

To clarify such a scandal, Ju Haknyeon himself posted a handwritten letter on his Instagram Stories. As translated by Soompi, the former K-pop star denied engaging in prostitution or any other illegal activity.

"First, I apologize to the fans who must have been greatly shocked by the news about me, as well as everyone whom I gave cause for concern through this unsavory matter," he wrote.

"In the wee hours of the morning of May 30, 2025, I attended a private gathering with alcohol together with an acquaintance, and while it is true that I was at that gathering, it is completely false that I engaged in any illegal activity, such as the prostitution that is being mentioned in news reports and rumors. I am deeply reflecting on my actions, and I would like to sincerely apologize to everyone who was shocked by this [matter]."

JuHaknyeon debuted as part of the fourth-generation K-pop boy group THE BOYZ on December 6, 2017. He was the lead dancer, sub vocalist, and sub rapper of the group. But apart from being a talented K-pop idol, he's also an actor who even won the AAA Focus Actor award for his performance in the film Seoul Ghost Stories (2022).

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