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Legal conflicts between K-pop groups and their companies are coming out quite frequently in the last few years. The latest issue to surface is the legal conflict between K-pop boy group THE BOYZ and their agency ONE HUNDRED. It has now developed into a multi-layered dispute involving contract termination notices, conflicting payment claims, and criminal allegations. Nine members, namely, Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, Q, Sunwoo, and Eric, are at the center of the case, with both sides presenting sharply opposing versions of events. Here’s a look at the events that unfolded.
Who is THE BOYZ?
THE BOYZ is a South Korean boy group that debuted in December 2017 under IST Entertainment as a 12-member group. Over the years, the group’s lineup changed as member Hwall departed in 2019, and Ju Haknyeon left in 2025 following a personal controversy, bringing the group to 10 members. In November 2024, THE BOYZ left IST Entertainment and signed with ONE HUNDRED Label, a company co-founded by rapper-producer MC Mong and PIA Group Chairman Cha Ga-won.
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THE BOYZ Contract Termination
According to The Fact, the issue first started in February 2026, when reports confirmed that nine members had formally notified ONE HUNDRED of their intent to terminate their exclusive contracts. The notice reportedly cited a breakdown in trust stemming from unpaid settlement earnings.
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According to the members’ legal representative, Kim Mun-hui of law firm Yulchon LLC, payments for activities conducted after July 2025 were not settled. These activities include group promotions, appearances, and other scheduled work carried out under the agency. The lack of payment over several months is said to have prompted the decision to pursue termination through legal channels. The tenth member, New, chose to remain with the agency and later apologised to fans for the concern caused.
THE BOYZ Settlement Payments Dispsute Explained
As the dispute became public in March 2026, ONE HUNDRED issued an official statement asserting that all financial obligations had been fulfilled. The agency stated that “100 percent of contract fees and settlement payments” had already been paid and that no outstanding dues remained.
However, this claim was directly challenged by the legal representative of the nine members. In a subsequent statement, the representatives stated that the artists had not received settlement payments tied to their recent activities. They described the agency’s claims as inconsistent with the actual financial records and emphasized that the issue extends beyond a simple delay.
The contradiction between these statements has become a central point in the dispute, with both parties publicly maintaining their positions.
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Public Reaction & Statements From THE BOYZ Members
The dispute gained further attention after member Sunwoo publicly responded to the agency’s claims, according to MK Sports. Sunwoo made the members’ position public by posting a screenshot of the agency’s claim on his Instagram Stories, marking a question mark and X next to the phrase “payment complete.”
This marked a shift from internal legal communication to public discourse, with both sides releasing statements through media channels. The situation has since remained in the public domain, with updates emerging through official representatives and reports.
Criminal Complaint Against CEO Cha Ga Won: Key Allegations
The case escalated further on April 21, 2026, when the nine members filed a criminal complaint against Cha Ga Won, CEO of ONE HUNDRED. According to Osen, the complaint includes allegations of embezzlement and financial mismanagement. Reports associated with the filing mention additional concerns, including delays in staff wage payments and operational funding issues within the company.
ONE HUNDRED denied the allegations, stating that an independent audit confirmed no misappropriation of funds, and threatened to file a counter-complaint for false accusation.
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Court Verdict: What The Ruling Means For THE BOYZ
According to MyDaily, on April 23, 2026, the Seoul court granted the provisional injunction, ruling that the nine members’ exclusive contracts with ONE HUNDRED Label have been lawfully terminated and are no longer in effect. The court explicitly rejected ONE HUNDRED’s argument that the signing bonuses constituted an advance payment in lieu of settlement funds, clarifying that the two are entirely separate contractual obligations. The court found that ONE HUNDRED had violated its obligation to pay settlement funds, failed to provide settlement data necessary for the members to verify their earnings, and failed to meet core contractual obligations, including management support and artist protection.
In a statement following the ruling, the members’ legal team expressed that the artists feel both excitement and a strong sense of responsibility as they look forward to meeting fans at their upcoming KSPO Dome concerts. The members sincerely apologized to fans for the concern caused throughout the process.
The criminal embezzlement complaint against CEO Cha Ga-won remains under investigation by the Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. THE BOYZ members have stated they will cooperate with legal procedures going forward.
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