THE BOYZ member NEW is parting ways with One Hundred Label and preparing to pursue solo activities.
According to an exclusive report from Sports Chosun on August 27th, NEW and One Hundred Label have reached a final agreement to terminate his exclusive contract. The two sides reportedly settled the matter amicably, with NEW agreeing to return the contract signing fee he received when he joined the agency.
Unlike the other nine members of THE BOYZ, who notified One Hundred Label of their intent to terminate their contracts and subsequently filed a lawsuit, New did not join the legal action. His decision led to speculation about whether he would remain with the agency or pursue activities on his own.
NEW has now decided to leave One Hundred Label as well. Rather than entering into a legal dispute, the two sides agreed to end the contract and settle the matter with the return of his signing bonus.
NEW is expected to independently prepare for his next chapter for the time being. According to the Sports Chosun report, he is not simply taking a break and is already preparing for solo activities. Discussions about finding a new agency and working on new music are reportedly underway. While his next agency and specific plans have yet to be announced, he is expected to return to fans without a lengthy hiatus, with solo music among the possibilities being considered.
In December 2024, THE BOYZ left their longtime agency IST Entertainment and all 11 members signed with One Hundred Label. Ju Haknyeon later left the group, while the remaining nine members, excluding NEW, announced in February that they were seeking to terminate their contracts with One Hundred Label. They cited issues including unpaid settlements and a breakdown of trust.
The court later granted the nine members a preliminary injunction suspending the effect of their exclusive contracts. The members recently announced plans to continue promoting as THE BOYZ under a new agency. However, One Hundred Label argued that the injunction did not automatically terminate the contracts and said it would continue to challenge the matter in court.
With NEW now having reached a separate agreement to end his contract with One Hundred Label, his future is taking a different path from that of the other nine members. Fans are now waiting to see what kind of music and image NEW will bring as he begins his solo journey.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have indicted Cha Ga Won, chairman of p_Arc Group and CEO of One Hundred Label, on fraud charges involving approximately 30 billion won ($22 million).
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office’s Tax Crime Investigation Division indicted Cha Ga Won in custody on August 25th under South Korea’s Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.
Cha was previously arrested and transferred to prosecutors by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Financial Crime Investigation Unit on August 7th.
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