Former member of South Korean boy group THE BOYZ, Ju Haknyeon, has finally spoken out regarding the controversial news that accompanied his departure from the group.
On June 18, 2025, his agency, ONE HUNDRED, officially announced that Ju Haknyeon was no longer part of THE BOYZ or the agency due to "personal issues" that were deemed to have damaged their trust in the artist. However, the reason behind Ju Haknyeon's departure did not stop with the agency's official statement.
On the same day, Korean media outlet News1 revealed that they received a letter from Japanese media outlet Shukan Bunshun asking about a private meeting between Ju Haknyeon and former Japanese adult film actress Kirara Asuka that took place in late May at a bar in Tokyo's Roppongi area.
Furthermore, a report from 10Asia stated that Ju Haknyeon was suspected of engaging in paid sexual intercourse during the meeting—a serious allegation that has sparked accusations of prostitution, and even dragged in the name of a producer from the agency ONE HUNDRED who has reportedly been removed from his position.
In response to the allegations, Ju Haknyeon released a handwritten letter via his Instagram Story on the evening of June 18. In the letter, he apologized to fans for the concerns caused. He admitted that he was present at the gathering in the early hours of May 30, 2025 and that alcohol was present at the gathering.
However, he firmly denied that he had engaged in prostitution or any other illegal acts. " It is true that I was present at the private meeting, but I want to emphasize that I was not involved in any form of prostitution or illegal activity, as stated in reports or rumors," he wrote in a letter quoted by Koreaboo on Thursday June 19, 2025.
He again apologized and said, " I deeply regret my actions and would like to express my sincere apologies to all parties who felt shocked and disappointed. " Unfortunately, even though Ju Haknyeon has provided clarification, the public reaction has been negative.
Some netizens considered the apology letter to be insincere and written with an odd language pattern. Some even speculated that the letter was written based on someone else's instructions so as not to trigger legal problems later.
The issue highlights the strict moral standards and public image imposed on K-pop idols. Relationships with figures from the adult industry, even retired ones like Kirara Asuka who is now an influencer, are still considered a violation of unwritten norms that can have fatal consequences for the artist's career.
It is no wonder that the agency took swift action by stopping all of Ju Haknyeon's activities even before further news spread. " As soon as we received information regarding Ju Haknyeon's involvement in the personal matter, we immediately suspended all of his activities and conducted a thorough investigation.
We took this situation seriously and concluded that it would be difficult for him to continue building trust as an artist, " the agency wrote in its official statement. For additional information, THE BOYZ is now continuing their activities as a group with 10 active members. The leader, Sangyeon, is currently serving his mandatory military service.
The agency ONE HUNDRED in its final statement said that it will fully support the remaining members so that they can work in a healthy and stable environment. This story is one of the few cases in the K-pop industry where a boy group member was directly involved in a prostitution scandal.
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