The conflict between THE BOYZ and their agency One Hundred Label is rapidly escalating. The group filed an embezzlement complaint against the agency’s CEO, while the company denied the charges “harmful incitement”. In response, members have now spoken out directly, saying they have not received any payments. This marks the first time that members themselves – and not just their legal representatives – have publicly addressed the issue.
It started with a lawsuit to terminate exclusive contracts
The controversy first came to light last month. On March 19, nine members of THE BOYZ – excluding New – revealed that they had filed an injunction on February 10 to suspend the validity of their exclusive contracts with One Hundred Label.
At the time, their legal representative, attorney Kim Moon-hee of Yulchon LLC, said the agency had failed to pay liquidation proceeds for all assets since July 2025, following payments for the second quarter. The members also allegedly requested access to basic financial documents to verify transparency, but the agency allegedly refused without good reason, violating its contractual obligations.
One Hundred Label rejected the request to terminate the contracts. The company argued that due to multiple disputes involving members last year and the departure of one member, normal group activities had become difficult. Despite this, the agency said it continued to support the group while absorbing significant financial losses.
Nine members file embezzlement charges against CEO
A month later, the nine members escalated the situation by filing a criminal complaint against the agency’s CEO on charges of embezzlement.
On April 21, the group’s legal team announced that CEO Cha Ga-won had been reported under the Law on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes for alleged embezzlement.
The agency denies the allegations: “Completely unfounded”
In response, One Hundred Label issued a strong rebuttal, accusing the artists’ legal team of distorting facts and manipulating public opinion.
Lawyer Hyun Dong-yeop, representing the agency, said the embezzlement allegations are false. He explained that an accounting firm had already carried out a full financial audit, confirming that no misuse or misappropriation of funds had occurred.
The agency also insisted it had fulfilled its transaction obligations, saying large upfront payments and transaction fees had already been provided, with transparent plans for future payments in place.
Hyun also accused the members’ legal team of spreading misinformation to some members, damaging trust between the artists and the company. He also questioned the timing of the legal actions, arguing that the injunction was initially justified by the urgency of the concert schedules, but subsequent requests suggested delays until after the concerts, implying a strategy to prolong the litigation through media exposure.
Members publicly refute “payment completed” affirmations
In response, the nine members who filed the lawsuit directly objected to the agency’s claims that the payments had been completed.
Member Sunwoo posted an article containing the agency’s statement on Instagram, circling the phrase “payment completed” in red and adding “?X,” implying that it was false. Fellow members Younghoon and Kevin reshared the post, signaling an agreement.
Another member stated bluntly: “We haven’t received anything” while Eric posted a simple “?” on his X (formerly Twitter) account, further fueling speculation.
Attorney Kim also released an official statement on April 22, clarifying that no payment had been made to date. It added that payment deadlines had been repeatedly postponed and revised even before the injunction was filed, but adequate payments had never been completed.
He criticized the agency for issuing an official statement saying “payment completed” despite no funds being transferred, calling it highly regrettable. He warned that if the agency continues to spread misinformation or unfounded accusations against artists and their legal team, they will respond with both civil and criminal legal action.
THE BOYZ debuted in 2017 and rose to fame with hits like “THRILLING RACE“ AND “MAVERICK.“ The group moved from IST Entertainment to One Hundred Label in December 2024. At the time of the move, the group had 11 members, but Ju Haknyeon left in June last year following personal disputes.
Despite the ongoing dispute, THE BOYZ is set to proceed with their solo concert scheduled for April 24-26 at KSPO Dome in Seoul, continuing their activities amid the escalating legal battle.
Sources: Daum
