The Boyz is facing continuous turmoil. Just a week after member Juyeon's dating rumors were denied and Sunwoo's 'silencing' remark caused controversy, Juhaknyeon has now withdrawn from the team due to personal issues.
On the 18th, the agency, One Hundred, announced that Juhaknyeon has left The Boyz due to personal issues and has terminated his exclusive contract. This announcement came just two days after the announcement of Juhaknyeon's suspension of activities.
Before the agency's announcement, a media outlet reported that Juhaknyeon (26) met former AV actress Asuka Kirara (37) at a private bar in Tokyo, Japan, at the end of May.
According to the report, Juhaknyeon visited a bar in Roppongi with acquaintances from Japan on the night of the 29th of last month, and it was reported that he had physical contact, including hugging Asuka Kirara, during the drinking session that lasted until the early hours of the next day.
After confirming the facts with Juhaknyeon, the agency's decision was to withdraw him from the team and terminate his exclusive contract.
The agency stated, "We took the seriousness of the matter very seriously and clearly recognized that it was difficult to maintain trust as an artist," and added, "As a result, after sufficient discussions with the members of The Boyz, we have finalized Juhaknyeon's withdrawal from the team and the termination of his exclusive contract."
The Boyz debuted under IST Entertainment in 2017 and transferred to One Hundred, founded by MC Mong, after the expiration of their exclusive contract last December. They achieved good musical results, including becoming the fourth half-million seller with their third full album 'Unexpected' released last month, while also facing continuous controversies regarding their attitudes.
In April, Sunwoo was embroiled in a 'personality controversy' due to a video posted on social media, and shortly after, Kevin faced 'bad manners controversy' for cheering for another team right after participating as a batter for the Kiwoom Heroes.
On the 12th, after Juyeon denied dating rumors with actress Cynthia, Sunwoo faced criticism from fans for posting, "Silence the rumors and come play Rummikub."
The term 'silence' is a shorthand for 'prohibit feeding' and is a neologism that means to no longer mention or react to a certain topic. Fans pointed out that Sunwoo's remark was an attitude that did not consider the fans' feelings amid the tumultuous atmosphere surrounding the dating rumors.
The members of The Boyz have been posting apologies whenever controversies arise to manage the situation. However, it seems that Juhaknyeon's personal issue is a situation that cannot be covered by an apology. For an idol who operates based on the support of their fandom, a scandal involving an influencer who is 11 years older and a former AV actress is bound to have a significant impact.
Ultimately, The Boyz has become a 10-member group in their 9th year since debut. Faced with continuous controversies that have tarnished the team's image, the withdrawal of a member is another setback for The Boyz. Whether they can turn around the chaotic atmosphere of their fandom remains to be seen.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
