K-pop star Ju Hak-nyeon denies prostitution rumours after leaving group The Boyz

K-pop star Ju Hak-nyeon has left popular boy band The Boyz after rumours of his involvement in prostitution, which he has since denied. 

According to reports by South Korean media on Wednesday (Jun 18), Ju had allegedly paid former Japanese adult video actress Asuka  Kirara for sexual services in late May during a private meeting in Tokyo, Japan. 

In South Korea, prostitution is illegal for citizens even when committed abroad. Under the Act on the Punishment of Acts of Arranging Sexual Traffic, offenders can face up to one year in jail or a fine of up to 3 million won (US$2,177). 

The same day on Jun 18, The Boyz’ agency, One Hundred, announced in a statement posted to The Boyz’ official X account that Ju will be leaving the group and that they will be terminating their contract with the singer. 

One Hundred said in Korean: “As soon as we were informed that Ju Hak-nyeon had recently been involved in a private life issue, we immediately took action to suspend his activities and took the time to closely verify the facts.”

Previously, the agency had released a statement on Jun 16 that Ju would be temporarily halting group activities with The Boyz due to “personal reasons”.

“As a result, we took the matter very seriously, and we clearly recognised that it was a situation in which it would be difficult to continue trust as an artist,” the statement on Jun 18 continued.

“After sufficient discussion with the members of The Boyz, we have finalised Ju Hak-nyeon's withdrawal from the team and termination of his exclusive contract. We ask for your deep understanding that this decision is an inevitable measure to protect The Boyz members and the team. 

“We would like to inform you that Ju Hak-nyeon has ended all activities as a member of The Boyz as of today.”

They added: “One Hundred will spare no effort and support so that the remaining members of The Boyz can continue to work healthily without wavering. Once again, we sincerely apologise for causing concern to fans. We will do our best to reward you with better news in the future.”

The same day, the 26-year-old singer posted a handwritten apology on Instagram denying the allegations. 

He said in Korean: “First, I would like to sincerely apologise to the fans who must have been shocked by the recent articles about me, as well as to everyone who has been concerned due to this unfortunate incident.

“In the wee hours of the morning of May 30 2025, I attended a private gathering with alcohol together with an acquaintance, and while it is true that I was at that gathering, it is completely false that I engaged in any illegal activity, such as the prostitution that is being mentioned in news reports and rumours.

He continued: “I am deeply reflecting on my actions, and I would like to sincerely apologise to everyone who was shocked by this.”

The Boyz, now made up of 10 members – Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, New, Q, Sunwoo, and Eric – debuted in 2017 and are best known for songs like The Stealer, Reveal and Salty. 

Apart from Korean songs, The Boyz also released three Japanese studio albums titled Breaking Dawn (2021), Delicious (2023) and Gibberish (2024).