Chairman Cha Ga-won of the agency One Hundred has personally conveyed his apology regarding Joo Hak-nyeon, a member of The Boyz who left the team due to personal life controversies.
In an official statement on the afternoon of the 18th, Chairman Cha said, “I sincerely apologize for causing deep concern to our fans and the public due to various situations related to our artists and members.”
Chairman Cha acknowledged, “One Hundred humbly accepts that we have been insufficient in managing the personal lives and attitudes of our artists and members,” and stated, “We deeply reflect on our responsibilities through these matters.”
He added, “We will strengthen our management system regarding the personal lives and overall attitudes of our artists, and we will work hard on education to raise ethical awareness and improve our internal systems,” and bowed his head, saying, “In the future, we will take a more responsible approach to ensure that not only the activities of our artists but also all surrounding environments can restore and maintain the trust of fans and the public.”
Earlier that day, a media outlet reported that Joo Hak-nyeon met former AV actress Asuka Kirara at a private bar in Tokyo, Japan, at the end of May, and visited a bar in Roppongi with Japanese acquaintances on the night of the 29th of last month. According to the report, Joo Hak-nyeon was seen with Asuka Kirara at the drinking party that lasted until dawn, and they were also captured embracing each other.
In response to the report, One Hundred explained, “As soon as we received information that Joo Hak-nyeon was involved in a personal life issue, we took immediate action to suspend his activities and took time to closely verify the facts.”
They further stated, “As a result, we took the seriousness of the matter heavily and clearly recognized that it was difficult to maintain trust as an artist,” and announced, “After sufficient discussions with the members of The Boyz, we have finalized Joo Hak-nyeon’s departure from the team and the termination of his exclusive contract.”
Meanwhile, Joo Hak-nyeon conveyed his position through a handwritten letter. He stated, “I was present at a drinking party with acquaintances in the early morning of May 30, 2025, and while it is true that I was there, I have never engaged in any illegal activities such as prostitution as mentioned in the articles or rumors.”
He added, “I deeply reflect on my actions and would like to sincerely apologize to those who may have been surprised.”
Joo Hak-nyeon debuted as a member of The Boyz in December 2017. He is a former contestant from the Mnet audition program ‘Produce 101’ Season 2, where he maintained a rank within the top 11 of the debut group but ultimately ranked 19th and did not debut as a member of the project group Wanna One.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today reporter]
