The conflict between THE BOYZ and their agency One Hundred Label is rapidly intensifying. The group has filed an embezzlement complaint against the agency’s CEO, while the company dismissed the claims as “malicious incitement.” In response, the members have now spoken out directly, stating they have not received any payments. This marks the first time the members themselves—not just their legal representatives—have publicly addressed the issue.
It began with a lawsuit to terminate exclusive contracts
The dispute first came to light last month. On March 19, nine members of THE BOYZ—excluding New—revealed that they had filed for 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, claimed that the agency failed to pay settlement earnings for all activities since July 2025, following payments for the second quarter. The members also reportedly requested access to basic financial documents to verify transparency, but the agency allegedly refused without valid reason, violating its contractual obligations.
One Hundred Label rejected the request to terminate the contracts. The company argued that due to multiple controversies involving members last year and one member’s departure, normal group activities had become difficult. Despite this, the agency claimed 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 Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes for alleged embezzlement.
Agency denies allegations: “Completely unfounded”
In response, One Hundred Label issued a strong rebuttal, accusing the artists’ legal team of distorting facts and manipulating public opinion.
Attorney Hyun Dong-yeop, representing the agency, stated that the embezzlement claims are false. He explained that a full financial audit had already been conducted by an accounting firm, confirming that no misuse or embezzlement of funds had occurred.
The agency also insisted it had fulfilled its settlement obligations, stating that large upfront payments and settlement fees had already been provided, with transparent plans for future payments in place.
Hyun further accused the members’ legal team of spreading misinformation to certain members, damaging trust between the artists and the company. He also questioned the timing of the legal actions, claiming the injunction was initially justified by urgent concert schedules, yet later requests suggested delays until after the concerts—implying a strategy to prolong the dispute through media exposure.
Members publicly refute “payment completed” claims
In response, the nine members who filed the lawsuit directly pushed back against the agency’s claims that 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 it was false. Fellow members Younghoon and Kevin reshared the post, signaling 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 payments had been made to date. She added that payment deadlines had been repeatedly postponed and revised even before the injunction filing, yet no proper payments were ever completed.
She criticized the agency for issuing an official statement claiming “payment completed” despite no funds being transferred, calling it highly regrettable. She warned that if the agency continues to spread misinformation or baseless accusations against the 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 “THRILL RIDE” and “MAVERICK.” The group transferred 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 controversies.
Despite the ongoing dispute, THE BOYZ are set to proceed with their scheduled solo concert from April 24 to 26 at KSPO Dome in Seoul, continuing their activities amid the escalating legal battle.
Sources: Daum
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