Ju Haknyeon leaves The Boyz, denies prostitution allegations in apology

Ju Haknyeon has officially departed from the K-pop group The Boyz and his agency, One Hundred, following what the agency described as “issues involving Ju Haknyeon’s private life.”

According to reports by Soompi on Wednesday, the agency announced the artist’s departure and termination of his exclusive contract with an official statement.

“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,” One Hundred said.

“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.”

The agency also stated its commitment to supporting the remaining members of The Boyz and apologized to fans for causing concern.

Per Soompi, the issue in question came to light earlier on Wednesday when News1 reported having obtained a letter of inquiry from Japanese media outlet Shukan Bunshun.

The said inquiry was sent to One Hundred regarding Ju Haknyeon's alleged private meeting with former Japanese AV actress Asuka Kirara in May.

“We received a letter of inquiry from Shukan Bunshun, and we confirmed the truth [of the report] with Ju Haknyeon,” One Hundred had said regarding the report. 

Following his departure from The Boyz, Ju Haknyeon uploaded a handwritten letter denying the allegations via Instagram Stories, which was translated into English by Soompi. 

“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.

He admitted to attending a private gathering with alcohol with an acquaintance in the “wee hours of the morning of May 30, 2025.”

However, he denied engaging in any illegal activity, such as the prostitution allegations that have been made against him. 

“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]," said Ju Haknyeon.  

—Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA Integrated News