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