The Boyz (더보이즈)

When THE BOYZ stepped onto the *Road to Kingdom* stage in 2020, the Mnet competition became something of a turning point for a group that had been building a following steadily since their 2017 debut. Their performances across that series drew wide attention and solidified their reputation as one of the stronger live acts in the 4th-generation boy group landscape. Under IST Entertainment's sub-label One Hundred Label, the twelve-member group has continued promoting in the years since — though 2026 brought with it a significant legal dispute that placed the group's future with the label in open question.

Debut and formation

THE BOYZ debuted in December 2017 under IST Entertainment, entering a crowded mid-period of K-pop's expansion. The group launched with twelve members: Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, New, Q, Ju Haknyeon, Kevin, Eric, Sunwoo, and Hwall. The size of the lineup was not unusual for the era, and the group worked across the full range of promotional formats — mini-albums, variety appearances, and fan-facing content — in the years following their debut.

Road to Kingdom and rising visibility

The group's appearance on Mnet's *Road to Kingdom* in 2020 is widely cited as a key moment in their trajectory. The performance-competition format suited them: the series gave groups the space to stage elaborate, theatrically ambitious performances, and THE BOYZ used it to demonstrate production craft alongside technical performance ability. The exposure translated into broader recognition and contributed to the kind of audience growth that is difficult to manufacture through standard promotional cycles alone.

Members

THE BOYZ carry a twelve-member lineup, with roles distributed across vocals, rap, and performance. The current members are Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, New, Q, Ju Haknyeon, Kevin, Eric, Sunwoo, and Hwall.

Activities

Individual member activity has remained visible across 2025 and 2026. Member New was cast in the stage musical *Romeo and Juliet*, marking his first theatrical work since the group's debut. Sunwoo appeared on Mnet's *Show Me the Money 12*, performing "KISS KISS KISS" alongside other rappers, with coverage noting the distinctive weight of his lower-register delivery. Member Younghoon appeared on SBS's *Kkokkomu*, a program addressing the Gyeongbuk wildfire disaster, in a listener capacity. Juyeon and Hyunjae have both maintained individual public profiles, with Hyunjae attending a brand opening event for K-Swiss and Juyeon appearing in a luxury brand pictorial. The group was also scheduled to perform a solo concert titled INTER-ZECTION at KSPO DOME across three dates in late April 2026.

Contract dispute

In March 2026, nine members of THE BOYZ filed notice of exclusive contract termination with One Hundred Label, citing delayed settlement payments and a breakdown of trust with the agency. The label responded by stating it could not accept the termination demand, framing the outstanding payments as the result of financial deficit linked to unspecified controversy, and the matter moved into formal legal proceedings. An injunction to suspend the exclusive contract was subsequently granted by the court, though One Hundred Label issued a statement clarifying that the injunction represented a temporary measure and that the final determination would rest with the main lawsuit. As of mid-2026, the dispute remained unresolved, with the label maintaining that contract termination had not been confirmed.

Standing

Before the legal dispute came to dominate coverage, THE BOYZ occupied a recognizable position in the broader K-pop market — a group with an established fanbase, a catalog built across nearly a decade of activity, and individual members with enough solo visibility to register in public popularity polling. The *Road to Kingdom* chapter remains the clearest marker of the group's wider cultural moment, though the ongoing contract situation has introduced meaningful uncertainty about the next phase of their activity as a collective unit.