Ex-The Boyz member Ju Haknyeon wins lawsuit over report alleging prostitution

Former THE BOYZ member Ju Haknyeon won a damages lawsuit against an entertainment reporter in Seoul, with the court ruling on Oct. 23 that the reporter defamed him by publishing false information about an alleged prostitution encounter. The Seoul Central District Court ordered the reporter to pay Ju 200 million won. The report had preceded Ju’s departure from the group and the termination of his agency contract. The reporter is also facing a separate criminal trial over the same report.

Ju had sought 1 billion won in damages, arguing that the report contained false information.

The court said the evidence did not establish that the reporter had reasonable grounds to believe the allegation was true.

The court criticized the reporter for not making sufficient efforts to verify facts before publishing information that could seriously harm Ju’s reputation.

The report said the allegation was based on a questionnaire obtained from Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun.

The reporter was indicted without detention in May on charges of defaming Ju by publishing false information.

Published Oct 29, 2026 1:24 pm KST

Ju Haknyeon / Xportsnews

Former THE BOYZ member Ju Haknyeon has won a damages lawsuit against an entertainment reporter who accused him of paying for sex with a former Japanese adult video actress — an allegation that preceded his departure from the K-pop group.

The Seoul Central District Court ordered the reporter, identified only as A, to pay Ju 200 million won ($140,000) in damages, according to legal sources Wednesday.

The court's Civil Division 25, presided over by Judge Kwon Ki-man, handed down the ruling on Oct. 23

The controversy began in June last year, when A reported that Ju had paid for sex with Kirara Asuka, a former Japanese adult video actress, at a bar in Tokyo.

The reporter said the allegation was based on a questionnaire obtained from Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun.

The report had immediate consequences for Ju's career. He suspended all activities, while his agency, ONE HUNDRED, announced that he would leave THE BOYZ and that his exclusive contract would be terminated.

Ju denied the prostitution allegation and filed a 1 billion won damages lawsuit against A, saying the report contained false information.

The court found that the evidence submitted by A was insufficient to establish that the reporter had reasonable grounds to believe the allegation was true.

It also criticized the reporter for failing to make sufficient efforts to verify the facts before publishing an article that could seriously damage Ju's social standing and reputation as an idol singer.

The court said A had defamed Ju by publishing false information and that the report caused him significant emotional distress, setting compensation at 200 million won.

The reporter is also facing a separate criminal trial over the same report. A was indicted without detention in May on charges of defaming Ju by publishing false information about the alleged prostitution.

This article from Xportsnews was adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

前THE BOYZ成员朱鹤年(Ju Haknyeon)在首尔对一名娱乐记者提起的损害赔偿诉讼中胜诉。10月23日，法院裁定该记者发布有关朱鹤年涉嫌嫖娼的虚假信息构成诽谤，并判令该记者向朱鹤年支付2亿韩元赔偿金。该报道发布于朱鹤年退出组合及与经纪公司解约之前。该记者还因同一报道面临另一项刑事审判。

Ju 要求赔偿 10 亿韩元，理由是该报告包含虚假信息。

法院表示，证据不足以证明该记者有合理的理由相信该指控属实。

法院批评该记者在发布可能严重损害朱某名誉的信息之前，没有尽充分努力核实事实。

报告称，该指控是基于从日本周刊杂志《周刊文春》获得的一份问卷调查得出的。

该记者于5月被控发布虚假信息诽谤朱女士，并被未拘留即被起诉。

发布于2026年10月29日下午1:24（韩国标准时间）

Ju Haknyeon / Xportsnews

前 THE BOYZ 成员朱鹤年赢得了一起针对娱乐记者的损害赔偿诉讼，该记者指控他曾付钱与一名日本前成人影片女演员发生性关系——这一指控发生在他离开该韩国流行音乐组合之前。

据法律界人士周三透露，首尔中央地方法院判令记者A向Ju支付2亿韩元（约合14万美元）的赔偿金。

由权基万法官主持的法院民事第25庭于10月23日作出裁决。

这场争议始于去年 6 月，当时 A 报道称 Ju 在东京的一家酒吧花钱与日本前成人影片女演员 Kirara Asuka 发生性关系。

记者称，该指控是基于从日本周刊杂志《周刊文春》获得的一份问卷调查得出的。

这份报告对朱的演艺事业产生了立竿见影的影响。他暂停了所有活动，而他的经纪公司ONE HUNDRED也宣布他将退出THE BOYZ，并终止与他的专属合约。

Ju否认了卖淫指控，并对A提起10亿韩元的损害赔偿诉讼，称该报道包含虚假信息。

法院认为，A提交的证据不足以证明记者有合理的理由相信该指控属实。

该报道还批评记者在发表文章前没有充分核实事实，这篇文章可能会严重损害朱的社会地位和偶像歌手的声誉。

法院表示，A发布虚假信息诽谤了Ju，该报道给Ju造成了严重的精神痛苦，判处A赔偿2亿韩元。

该记者还因同一报道面临另一项刑事审判。A于5月被控诽谤Ju，罪名是发布有关Ju涉嫌卖淫的虚假信息，因此被公开起诉，但未被拘留。

本文原载于 Xportsnews，经人工智能生成系统改编，并由《韩国时报》编辑。