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

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