All 11 members of the K-pop group The Boyz have signed an exclusive contract with One Hundred, marking a significant transition for the group.
On the 15th, Ten Asia reported exclusively that The Boyz have parted ways with their former agency, IST Entertainment, and have signed with One Hundred. The decision was reportedly made based on the strong bond among the members. The Boyz will begin their activities under One Hundred in mid-December. Previously, there were rumors in the industry that The Boyz might join Big Planet Made Entertainment, but they were in discussions with One Hundred.
One Hundred stated, "It was impressive to see all the members of The Boyz wanting to move together. We hope to create a new chapter with The Boyz, who have shown the best teamwork," adding, "We will fully support both their group activities and individual endeavors."
One Hundred is an entertainment agency founded by singer MC Mong and Chagawon, the chairman of Piac Group. It includes labels such as Big Planet Made, home to Lee Seung-gi and Taemin, and INB100, which includes EXO's Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin. The Boyz are the first artists to sign with One Hundred.
Whether the group will retain their name remains to be seen. The trademark for The Boyz is owned by IST Entertainment. Discussions regarding the trademark have just begun, and both parties are negotiating the transfer of the group name. If negotiations fail, the group may have to adopt a new name.
It is rare for all members of a group to move to the same agency. A similar case is iKON, who left YG Entertainment after many years and signed an exclusive contract with 143 Entertainment. The agency stated, "The members united with the priority of maintaining their complete group activities."
In iKON's case, they retained their group name. Debuting in September 2015 under YG, iKON continued to use their name after their contract ended in 2022. To prevent third-party rights infringement, agencies register group names as trademarks before debut. YG transferred the group name to the members on the condition that they continue to work as a team. They also handed over the trademark rights for the team name, members' names, team logo, and social media accounts. The members released hits like "Love Scenario" under the iKON name, maintaining their recognition and popularity.
Meanwhile, The Boyz made a comeback with their 9th mini-album 'Doha' on the 28th of last month. This release follows their second full album 'Fantasy' Pt.3 'Love Letter' in March, marking their return after about seven months. The Boyz concluded their official album activities with a performance on SBS's 'Inkigayo' on the 10th. According to Hanteo Chart, 'Doha' sold approximately 560,000 copies in its first week, making it their third half-million seller following their 6th mini-album 'Thrill-ing' and 2nd full album Pt.2 'Sixth Sense'.
Debuting in 2017, The Boyz showcased high-quality performances and won Mnet's 'Road to Kingdom' in 2020. They expanded their fandom by appearing on 'Kingdom' and have been actively promoting with hits like 'Thrill Ride' and 'The Stealer'.
Reporter: Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia one@tenasia.co.kr