“This is all so confusing”- The Boyz fans react as IST Entertainment refutes news over trademark conflict with One Hundred over the group’s name

On December 4, 2024, IST Entertainment released a statement addressing the controversy surrounding the trademark for THE BOYZ. This followed the group's decision to move to a new agency, One Hundred, after their contract with IST expired on December 5.

Previous reports suggested that negotiations between the two agencies had broken down, potentially stopping THE BOYZ from retaining its name after seven years of use.

Refuting claims that they had demanded exorbitant fees for the trademark, IST Entertainment clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that they had offered all 11 members the rights to use the trademark free of charge. They claimed that it had already been communicated to the members. As translated by Google, the statement read,

"hello. This is IST ENTERTAINMENT. We regret the recent apparent misinformation regarding trademark rights and would like to correct it. Contrary to what has been reported, we have decided to provide all 11 members of THE BOYZ with the right to use the trademark free of charge, and have already conveyed this intention to the members. In addition, we wanted to allow free use of the trademark in any activity (including unit and individual activities) that the 11 members agreed to."

Earlier, One Hundred expressed regret over the unresolved negotiations, citing "unreasonable conditions" as a primary hurdle. It assured fans that preparations are underway for alternative branding, including names such as "The Boys" and "The New Boyz."

Fans expressed their confusion and frustration on social media, calling for a definitive resolution to ensure THE BOYZ could transition smoothly while keeping their original name. An X user, @DE0BIZONE wrote,

"do you know what exactly they mean by giving the rights to the members themselves rather than the company? they'll still be able to use their name even though the 100 won't own the trademark? this is all so confusing."

Supporters have shared messages of solidarity, emphasizing the emotional connection they have with THE BOYZ's identity and the memories they've built over the years.

"Happy but also suspicious... what's going on?" another user added.

"So tbz are free and are still tbz…?" a fan remarked.

"on another note, i'm glad they're leaving ist bc this shows just how little they cared about them as artists and human beings and only saw their name and reputation as something that could bring profit," an X user wrote.

"this is absolutely heartbreaking...... we'll stay with them no matter under what name they decide to use in th future, we're family," another person mentioned.

Some fans drew comparisons to other K-pop groups like GOT7 and iKON, where similar issues were resolved with trademarks being granted to the artists.

"It seems that the trademark will be named under the members, not 100. Like the GOT7 trademark were bought by the members and they own them as individuals. YG also gave IKON their songs and trademark for free. TBZ situation is like IKON's," a netizen remarked.

"all this company did was fail them through and through, god i wish the merger never happened," a fan commented.

"kpop companies are so petty when they're not being abusive and for what," a user wrote.

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More about THE BOYZ and IST Entertainment's latest statement

THE BOYZ is an 11-member boy group in South Korea that is now signed under the label, ONE HUNDRED. The members of the group include Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, New, Q, JuHaknyeon, Sunwoo, and Eric.

Originally debuting on December 6, 2017, with their first mini-album THE FIRST, THE BOYZ started under Cre.Ker Entertainment. They later moved to IST Entertainment, where their contract ended in December 2024. Following this, the group is making a transition to ONE HUNDRED in mid-December 2024. Hwall, a former member, departed from the group in October 2019.

As for the statement released by IST Entertainment, it also stated that they had terminated the exclusive contract of one member six months ahead of its expiration to support a seamless transition to the new label. IST emphasized that their decision to grant the trademark to the members themselves rather than One Hundred was made to ensure the group’s long-term sustainability and connection with fans.

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With THE BOYZ’s contract under IST set to expire on December 5, both agencies have pledged to support the group’s future activities, leaving hope for a positive resolution.