The legal representative of nine members of the South Korean boy band THE BOYZ has issued a formal statement denying that they have received any settlement payments from their agency ONE HUNDRED, directly contradicting the company’s recent assertion that all financial obligations have been fulfilled.
The dispute dates back to February 10, when the members — Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, Q, Sunwoo, and Eric — notified ONE HUNDRED of their intention to terminate their exclusive contracts, citing serious breaches of agreement and irreparable damage to trust. They alleged that the agency had failed to pay settlement fees for activities since July 2025, refused to provide access to relevant financial documents despite repeated requests, and neglected basic management duties such as covering operational costs and paying staff salaries.
Tensions escalated on April 21, when reports emerged that the nine members had filed a criminal complaint against ONE HUNDRED CEO Cha Ga Won for alleged embezzlement, in violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. In response, the agency’s legal team stated that “100 percent of the exclusive contract fees and settlement payments have been completed, and future plans are transparently established“.
However, in a statement released on April 22, attorney Kim Mun Hui of Yulchon LLC, representing the artists, firmly rejected these claims. “As of the time the agency made its announcement, and up to the present, none of the artists have received any payments whatsoever, including unpaid amounts for the third and fourth quarters of 2025,” Kim said. She added that the agency had repeatedly postponed payment deadlines and promised to settle dues and damages during legal proceedings, but no actual transfers were ever made.
Member Sunwoo also expressed skepticism on social media, sharing a screenshot of the agency’s statement with a question mark and an “X” symbol, signaling disagreement.
The legal representative further noted that the embezzlement case, initially filed with the Yongsan Police Station, was transferred on April 20 to the Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Kim emphasized that the transfer was based on procedural requirements, not the merits of the case, and called on the agency to clarify how it obtained information about the investigation, warning that improper access to official information could carry legal consequences.
“The artists deeply regret that false statements have caused confusion among fans and concerned parties,” the statement read. “We urge all sides to cooperate sincerely with legal procedures rather than spreading misleading information. If such actions continue, we will respond firmly through all available civil and criminal measures“.
The validity of the contract termination will be determined through court proceedings, while the criminal complaint remains under official investigation. Both parties have maintained their positions, with ONE HUNDRED previously describing the allegations as a “smear attempt” and threatening counterlegal action.
Read the Full Statement:
” Hello, this is attorney Kim Mun Hui from Yulchon LLC.
On behalf of THE BOYZ members Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, Q, Sunwoo, and Eric (hereinafter “the artists”), we would like to present the artists’ official position regarding the statement released by ONE HUNDRED LABEL on April 21, 2026.
We would like to clearly state that, as of the time the agency announced its official position claiming that “all settlement payments to the artists have been completed,” as well as up to the present moment, none of the artists have received any payments whatsoever, including the unpaid settlements for the third and fourth quarters of 2025. Even prior to filing for the injunction, the agency repeatedly postponed and reversed payment deadlines, yet proper payment was never made. In particular, during the process of responding to the artists’ application for an injunction to suspend the validity of their exclusive contracts, the agency specified payment deadlines multiple times and stated that settlement payments and delayed damages would be paid by those dates, but no actual payment has been made.
Under these circumstances, it is deeply regrettable that an official statement claiming that “payment has been completed” was released despite no payments having been made. The artists take seriously the confusion and concern caused to fans and related parties due to claims that differ from the facts, and we ask for your understanding. In particular, we hope that, while legal procedures are ongoing, the repeated spread of conflict and fatigue due to definitive claims that do not align with the facts will not continue.
Furthermore, the criminal complaint filed by the artists is currently under investigation in accordance with proper legal procedures, and the artists are faithfully cooperating with the investigation by submitting necessary materials as requested by the authorities. We have officially confirmed that the Yongsan Police Station decided on April 20 to transfer this case to the Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The jurisdiction of the investigating authority is determined based on whether formal requirements are met, not on the substance of the case; therefore, discussing the legal validity of the complaint based on the assigned investigative body merely serves to mislead public opinion. The agency’s legal representative must clarify whether the Financial Crime Investigation Unit reviewed the case and rejected a request for consolidation within less than a day of its transfer on April 20 and through what means such information was obtained. If the agency’s representative received official secrets through improper contact with the police, those involved must bear corresponding responsibility. The artists hope that the facts will be clearly established and appropriate measures taken through lawful procedures conducted by the investigative authorities.
The agency must immediately cease actions that mislead public opinion based on false claims or repeatedly make unfounded accusations against the artists and their legal representatives. If such actions continue, the artists will respond firmly, including through all possible civil and criminal measures.
At present, the dispute over the validity of the termination of the exclusive contract between the artists and the agency will be decided by the court through the injunction proceedings, and the criminal complaint will also be subject to legal judgment through the investigative process. Rather than continuing to make unilateral claims through the media using false information or definitive expressions, we hope that all parties will sincerely cooperate with legal procedures so that a swift resolution and conclusion can be reached. The artists will also do their utmost to ensure that the matter is resolved as quickly as possible.”
