Ju Haknyeon is facing major controversy over alleged prostitution ties with former Japanese AV actress Asuka Kirara.
The former THE BOYZ member was first revealed to have socialized with Asuka Kirara. Then, TenAsia reported he solicited prostitution from her. Ju Haknyeon denied the prostitution claim but admitted meeting her. Photos of the two surfaced online.
On June 22, 2025, Ju Haknyeon posted a full statement on Instagram addressing the fallout.
“Hello, this is Ju Haknyeon.
Before the agency received an inquiry from Shūkan Bunshun, I was the first to hear that photos had been taken. I immediately explained the situation truthfully to the company and asked for their help. I acknowledge the part where I was in the wrong and tried to make choices that would minimize the damage to the other members. I spent many sleepless nights filled with guilt toward the fans who supported me and the teammates I shared everything with. It was incredibly painful. As a result, I halted all activities and discussed follow-up measures with the company.
However, the agency suddenly sent over a termination agreement and an agreement statement that asked I pay over ₩2.00 billion KRW (about $1.46 million USD). They also asked for a massive penalty amount that is not even claimable under the terms of our contract. They stated there was no room for negotiation.
Unable to accept such an unreasonable demand, I refused to sign the termination agreement on June 17, 2025. The very next day, the agency abruptly released an official statement announcing my departure from the group. This was before any Shūkan Bunshun article had been published. Immediately after, reports started appearing about me meeting an AV actress, and then a shocking exclusive from TenAsia accused me of prostitution. Based on that report, I was instantly branded a sex offender by other media, bloggers, and YouTubers.
The next day, someone even filed a police report against me for prostitution based on that false article. The speed and sequence of these events felt too coordinated—it was as if someone was fabricating a reason for my contract termination. I became terrified that if I remained silent, I would be branded a sex offender for the rest of my life. All of this unfolded within just two days.”
Ju Haknyeon accused his agency of forcing his contract termination without proper procedure and demanded a huge penalty not stated in their contract.
He claims:
“The clause they cited — ‘acts that damage reputation’ — is too vague and open to arbitrary interpretation. The original contract specifies such acts as DUI, drug use, gambling, prostitution, assault, sexual assault, and fraud. I have never committed any of these. Furthermore, the agency failed to follow the proper termination procedure outlined in Article 15, Paragraph 1 of the contract, and unilaterally removed me.”
Ju Haknyeon apologized for any carelessness on May 30 but called the sex offender branding a “character assassination.”
“Without knowing why, I was suddenly turned into a sex criminal overnight. It felt like a character assassination. I felt like everyone was pointing fingers at me wherever I went. I cried endlessly thinking of the fans, my mother, and family who have stood by me. If I gave up without revealing the truth, I would forever be remembered as a sex offender. And if I let fear stop me from speaking up, the unjust accusations wouldn’t just end with me — my family, fans, and friends would have to live with the stigma of being associated with a ‘sex offender.’”
He plans to:
“Hold the journalist and media outlet that falsely reported me accountable to the end, and I intend to find out who is behind all of this. It’s daunting to fight a powerful company on my own, but I will endure to the end, for those who still support and care for me.”
Ju Haknyeon also filed a criminal complaint against the journalist behind the false reports and will pursue civil action.
The controversy remains heated as fans and the industry watch how this case unfolds.
