South Korean prosecutors have indicted a reporter for allegedly spreading false prostitution claims about Ju Haknyeon, a 27-year-old former member of THE BOYZ.
The report sparked significant controversy last year and led to Ju’s departure from the group. The Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office announced that the reporter had been indicted without detention on May 12th on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.
Reporter Choi is accused of publishing an online article in June 2025 claiming that “Ju Haknyeon met with former Japanese adult film actress Kirara Asuka at a bar in Tokyo in May of last year and solicited prostitution.”
The day the article was published, Ju’s agency, One Hundred Label, announced his departure from THE BOYZ and terminated his exclusive contract.
The agency stated, “We have taken the seriousness of this matter to heart, and it is difficult to maintain mutual trust.”
The following day, Ju posted a handwritten letter on Instagram denying the allegations, writing, “It is true that I attended the gathering, but I did not engage in prostitution or any other illegal activity.”
Police launched an investigation and referred the case to prosecutors in March, following a complaint filed by Ju last June. During the investigation, the reporter who wrote the article reportedly claimed that he “did not know the prostitution allegations were false.”
Under South Korean Supreme Court precedent, a media report may not be considered unlawful if the reporter had reasonable grounds to believe the information was true at the time of publication and acted in the public interest.
However, prosecutors ultimately concluded that the defamation charge for spreading false information was warranted based on witness testimony and recorded conversations between Ju and officials at One Hundred Label.
Although the reporter cited “multiple entertainment industry insiders” as the basis for the prostitution allegation, he was unable to provide objective evidence during the investigation.
The article also claimed that “Ju Haknyeon admitted to prostitution after his agency presented specific evidence.” However, investigators determined that this claim was not supported by statements from relevant agency officials.
Ju has maintained that he was forced out by his agency and that someone orchestrated a smear campaign against him. In his initial complaint, he alleged that “an unidentified agency official” conspired with the reporter to publish the article. While police initially investigated Cha Ga Won, chairwoman of One Hundred Label, they found no evidence of collusion and dropped that line of inquiry, a decision later upheld by prosecutors.
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