Former THE BOYZ Member Joohaknyeon Denies Prostitution Allegations and Plans Legal Action

Joohaknyeon (주학년), a former member of the K-pop group THE BOYZ, has been expelled from the group following revelations of his private meetings with Japanese adult film actress Asuka Karara (아스카 카라라). On June 20, he took to Instagram to firmly deny allegations of engaging in prostitution, stating, "I have already made it clear that I have not committed any illegal acts. I will take all legal actions against the malicious reports from certain media outlets and journalists. If there is evidence of prostitution, I urge you to disclose it immediately."

Joohaknyeon further asserted, "I have not withdrawn from the team, nor have I agreed to terminate my exclusive contract. Despite the absence of any grounds for contract termination as specified in the agreement, my agency has demanded over 2 billion KRW in damages and has pressured me to leave the company, which I have never accepted."

He claimed that the agency falsely informed the media that his contract had been terminated, stating, "This is a blatant falsehood. The agency unilaterally expelled me from the team simply for being in the company of a well-known person at a private gathering."

Feeling compelled to speak out against attempts to tarnish his reputation for actions he did not commit, Joohaknyeon expressed his determination to hold the agency accountable for unjustly dismissing him and for the media's unverified claims regarding prostitution.

Previously, the agency, One Hundred (원헌드레드), announced on June 16 that Joohaknyeon would temporarily halt his activities due to personal reasons. Just two days later, they declared his release from the group and the termination of his contract.

The controversy escalated when a media outlet reported that Joohaknyeon had met with Asuka Karara in May and suggested that he had engaged in prostitution.

In response, Cha Gawon, the head of One Hundred, issued an official statement acknowledging the agency's shortcomings in managing the personal lives and conduct of its artists. He expressed regret and emphasized the need to strengthen their management systems and ethical training for artists.

In his full statement on social media, Joohaknyeon reiterated his innocence and vowed to pursue the truth, stating, "I will continue to fight to reveal the truth, hoping that this struggle can serve as a small beacon of hope for someone else."