TWICE member Jihyo is leaving JYP Entertainment after being with the agency for 21 years and is set to begin a new journey with her own company, EMITHAUS.
The K-pop star made the announcement on Wednesday, Oct. 21, through a handwritten letter posted on her official Instagram account.
“After 21 years, my journey with JYP Entertainment, which began when I was just a child, has come to an end,” read Jihyo’s letter written in Korean, as translated by Soompi.
“From childhood through my teenage years and into adulthood, I’ve spent most of my life at JYP. There were good days and difficult ones, but one thing I know for certain is that every one of those moments has shaped who I am today,” she added.
Following her exit, Jihyo also announced that she will begin a new chapter with her own company, EMITHAUS, where she plans to pursue solo activities.
“To me, independence is not so much a conclusion about the time that has passed, but a choice about how I want to live going forward. As the first step in this new chapter, I have established my own company, EMITHAUS,” Jihyo shared.
She continued, “Just as “EMIT” means to ‘express or release,’ I hope this will be a place where I can freely explore and bring to life even the possibilities within me that I have yet to discover.”
Despite her departure from JYP Entertainment, Jihyo assured fans that she would continue her activities with TWICE, describing the group as an “irreplaceable part of her life”.
The singer concluded her message by thanking TWICE’s fans, known as ONCE, for their “unwavering trust, love, and support,” and promising to continue growing as an artist.
Her announcement comes just a day after the nine-member group celebrated its 11th debut anniversary.
Jihyo was the third TWICE member to leave JYP, following Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung’s exit in August.
