The current and soon-to-be agencies of boy band The Boyz blamed each other for demanding unreasonable price for "The Boyz" trademark rights.

One Hundred Label, the new agency that The Boyz members will join later this month, argued that the current agency IST Entertainment demanded "billions of won" for The Boyz brand and copyright, according to a report by entertainment outlet Ten Asia.


IST Entertainment refuted the report and said that it offered to give the individual members the right to use The Boyz name, but not the company. It was One Hundred Label that demanded the trademark rights for free, according to the current agency.

"The news that we 'demanded an excessive amount for the trademark rights that go beyond the typical level' is false," IST Entertainment said in a press release.

"We tried to make it possible for all 11 members to use the brand copyright, whether it be as a group or solo artists. We even terminated one member's exclusive contract six months earlier than it was supposed to end because we truly supported their upcoming activities in the new agency."

One Hundred Label said it will keep on negotiating the terms until Thursday, when The Boyz members' contracts with IST Entertainment end, the soon-to-be agency said.

"Even if the negotiation goes awry, we will make sure that The Boyz members get to make music under a better brand name," One Hundred Label said.

One Hundred Label said last month that all 11 members of boy band The Boyz will sign with One Hundred Label after their contracts with IST Entertainment end in a rare move in K-pop where all members of an existing band sign with a new agency together.

The Boyz debuted in 2017 with its first EP “The First.” The 11-member band consists of: Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, New, Q, Ju Haknyeon, Sunwoo and Eric. The band gained popularity after winning Mnet's music competition show "Road to Kingdom" (2020), and has since put out hits including “Thrill Ride” (2021), “Whisper” (2022) and “Watch It” (2023).

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]