K-pop star Ju Haknyeon, former The Boyz member, wins court battle as agency's $5.4 million lawsuit is dismissed

The legal battle began in June 2025 when Haknyeon was kicked out of The Boyz due to rumours that he had met a Japanese former adult film star.

Former member of the K-pop group The Boyz, Ju Haknyeon, has won a major legal battle against his previous company, One Hundred Label. This is because a Seoul court has thrown out the case filed by the label seeking 8 billion won (approx $5.4 million) in damages against the artist on the grounds that there was no legitimate reason for terminating their exclusive agreement. This marks a milestone in the career of the singer who faced controversies in the past year.

Former The Boyz member Ju Haknyeon beats former agency as court throws out 8 billion won ($5.4 million) claim.

How the dispute began

The legal battle began in June 2025 when Ju Haknyeon was kicked out of The Boyz due to rumours that he had met and partied with the Japanese former adult film star Asuka Kirara during a ceremony in Japan. This was soon followed by a claim by a Korean reporter that Ju Haknyeon had indulged in prostitution; however, this turned out to be a falsehood.

In response to the scandal, Cha Ga Won, the CEO of One Hundred Label, terminated Haknyeon's exclusive contract on the basis of “damaging the dignity as a public culture artist to the extent that it hinders entertainment activities.”

Court rules in Ju Haknyeon's favour

On July 16, the 28th Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court found that the agency failed to prove there are adequate reasons to dissolve the contract. According to South Korean publication The Fact, the court found that the meeting between the manager and Kirara is within the scope of personal affairs. Although it might not be seen as appropriate for an idol group member, it cannot be seen as a serious behaviour that damages one's dignity.

In addition to this, the court stated that the police decided not to prosecute the case for the allegations of prostitution. Those people who made the false allegations were charged with defamation. It also added that the evidence provided by Cha Ga Won was not sufficient enough to terminate the contract of Ju Haknyeon.

"Considering all of this, there are no substantial grounds to terminate the exclusive contract on the grounds of a breakdown in trust," the court concluded.

False allegations also fell apart

This decision follows yet another legal development in favour of Ju Haknyeon. In May 2026, the reporter who published these allegations against Haknyeon for being a part of prostitution was indicted for defamation.

The prosecutors noted that the reporter had based their allegations on the information from multiple entertainment industry insiders but lacked objective evidence and concrete evidence. They also mentioned that the article had mentioned that Ju Haknyeon confessed about his involvement in prostitution once he confirmed the specific evidence from his agency, but that claim was false.

One Hundred Label faces growing legal troubles

With this loss, it becomes even more challenging times for One Hundred Label. Its CEO, Cha Ga Won, is presently being investigated by the police on charges of fraud amounting to 30 billion won. The police have even applied for the arrest warrant for Ga Won on grounds of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.

The label has also been facing difficulties with The Boyz. As reported earlier this year, nine members gave notice to One Hundred Label that they were terminating their exclusive contracts, owing to unpaid settlements and lack of trust. This was approved by the Seoul Central District Court in April 2026.