Former The Boyz member Ju Haknyeon has been cleared of prostitution charges after weeks of rumors and speculation. On July 2, Seoul’s Gangnam Police Station announced they would not move forward with an indictment, citing “insufficient grounds for investigation.” They found there was not enough evidence to investigate further.
On June 18, the controversy began when a Shukan Bunshun report claimed Haknyeon met with former Japanese AV star Asuka Kirara at a private bar in Tokyo. Soon after, rumors spread that he had paid for sex during this meeting.
On the same day, THE BOYZ’s agency, ONE HUNDRED, announced he would halt all activities. They also confirmed he had officially left THE BOYZ and ended his exclusive contract with the company. Many fans were shocked and confused by his sudden departure and the serious accusations surrounding it.
The story gained traction online and pushed one netizen to file a complaint through Korea’s National Petition Center. The request asked police to investigate the singer for violating the Prostitution Punishment Act.
Despite the rumors, Haknyeon admitted to meeting Asuka Kirara but denied any illegal actions. He maintained that the meeting was private and did not involve prostitution in any form. To defend himself, he filed a criminal suit for false accusations against the netizen who made the claim. He also sued the media outlet that first published the story without proper evidence.
Amid swirling rumors, he took to Instagram on June 20 to firmly deny the allegations. The 26-year-old idol revealed that the agency forced him to leave the group and demanded 2 billion Won ($1.45 million). He wrote
I intend to hold the agency accountable to the end for unjustly removing me from the team and asserting contract termination without any basis.
ONE HUNDRED responded soon after, calling his claims “one-sided false claims” and insisting the contract termination was valid. Their statement read,
We clearly state that the termination of Ju Haknyeon’s exclusive contract was carried out in accordance with the terms specified in the contract, being a fair duly founded action.
They cited Article 6, Clause 3 of his exclusive contract, which covers acts that damage an artist’s dignity and hinder entertainment activities.
Adding another twist, Asuka Kirara herself denied the allegations in a statement on June 21, saying,
I have never, in my life, received money for sexual acts (prostitution) in private. Of course, that includes this time.
She claimed another woman at the bar took photos and sold them to the tabloid.
This week, the police said the claims were based only on online gossip and could not be proven with facts. Because of this, they dropped the case and decided there was no legal ground to charge him.
Ju Haknyeon first debuted as part of THE BOYZ in 2017 and quickly won fans with his cheerful personality and stage presence. His sudden exit from the group left many wondering if he would ever return to the entertainment scene.
Now that he has been cleared, people are watching to see if he will try to make a comeback or continue to step away from the spotlight. So far, he has not shared any clear plans about what’s next. However, fans are hopeful he will find new opportunities once the legal battles are over.
For now, Ju Haknyeon’s focus seems to be on clearing his name completely and recovering from this difficult time.
In other news, THE BOYZ gears up for a comeback in July and world tour ‘BLAZE’.
