Why did Ju Haknyeon leave The Boyz? Reasons explored as the group releases an official statement of his withdrawal

The K-pop boy band THE BOYZ is managed by One Hundred Label. On June 18, 2025, they declared that Ju Haknyeon had officially left the group and dissolved his exclusive contract. The decision was taken after a short absence, which was first ascribed to "personal reasons." However, the situation has become worse now that the media has unearthed more evidence of alleged privacy infractions.

Ju Haknyeon would "temporarily suspend his activities due to personal reasons" (as stated in a short statement made by One Hundred Label on June 16, 2025), and the label begged supporters to be understanding. The fans were left to speculate since neither the statement nor the subsequent messages provided any details about these personal matters.

The agency assured Ju Haknyeon that they would be there for him throughout his break, and the ten-member group THE BOYZ kept up their promotions during this time.

Reasons explored as Ju Haknyeon leaves The Boyz

Ju Haknyeon, born in 1999, became known for the first time when he joined THE BOYZ in 2017 under Cre.Ker Entertainment (now One Hundred Label). He had previously been on Mnet's Produce 101 Season 2. Because of their high-energy concerts and a string of hit songs like "The Stealer" and "Phantasy," the original 12-member group immediately became renowned.

As the group's main rapper and a member of the ALPHA Team, Ju Haknyeon was a big component of their music and marketing. He is the first active member to quit since Sangyeon joined the military in early 2025.

The Japanese weekly Shūkan Bunshun released a report on June 18th saying that Ju Haknyeon met secretly in Tokyo with Kirara Asuka, a former adult film actress, on May 29, 2025. An allegation that Asuka had "close physical interactions" with someone in a Roppongi bar sparked controversy among fans and industry experts.

Submitted to One Hundred Label by the Shūkan Bunshun investigation, the gathering was found to have disregarded the group's image standards and cast doubt on Haknyeon's decision-making abilities.

After "sufficient discussions with the members of THE BOYZ," the agency decided to permanently remove him and end his contract because they believed the event "seriously undermined trust" in him as an artist. The official announcement said:

“As a result, we have come to recognize the seriousness of this issue and have clearly determined that it is no longer possible for us to maintain trust in him as an artist. … We ask for your deep understanding as this decision was an unavoidable measure to protect the members and the team.”

Korean celebrities might get in trouble if their private lives become public. Ju Haknyeon's meeting with a former AV actor in Tokyo was legal, but it broke the unwritten standards for K-pop artists.

Since Haknyeon is no longer with THE‑BOYZ, they will continue to promote themselves as a ten-member group, changing their line distributions, dance formations, and promotional materials as needed. We may need to change our plans for upcoming events and single releases.

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The quick and decisive actions that agencies may take in response to alleged breaches of the high standards put on K-pop celebrities' behavior are mirrored in Ju Haknyeon's exit from THE BOYZ.

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