Jihyo leaves JYP, starts a new company, and says TWICE will continue group activities while members pursue separate paths.

Attention is focusing on TWICE’s future as it steps into the activity style of “separately, and together.” On the 21st, TWICE’s Jihyo posted a long handwritten message on her social media, writing, “I have come to bring to a close the journey I have shared with JYP for 21 years since childhood.” Regarding the reason for choosing independence, she explained, “It is less a conclusion about the time up to now and more a choice about how I will live the time ahead.” She also reported the establishment of a new agency and expressed her determination, saying, “As I leave a familiar environment and continue working in a new way, I will approach all future choices and activities with even greater caution and a sense of responsibility.” About TWICE’s activities, she emphasized, “I want to continue standing on the same stage with the members and keep the time we create together going for a long time.” To the fans, she said, “Above all, I am grateful to the ONCEs who have believed in me and watched over me for these 11 years.” As a result, TWICE’s Jeongyeon, who moved to VARO Entertainment, and Chaeyoung, who established an independent label, were followed by Jihyo also leaving JYP, and the three have come to walk their own paths. Although all three are leaving JYP, they have expressed their intention to continue activities as TWICE, so group activities are expected to continue in the future. TWICE will also fully join the activity style of “separately, and together,” which long-running girl groups have already adopted ahead of them. However, even if there is a promise to continue group activities, there have been cases where, after members’ agencies became separate, scheduling for all members became more difficult than before. OH MY GIRL, which has been active around the same time as TWICE, also announced that it would continue group activities even after YooA and Arin left their existing agencies. However, only four members—Hyojung, Mimi, Seunghee, and Yubin—will participate in the fan meeting to be held in November. In response, some fan unions sent an official document to RINGCOMS, YooA’s agency, requesting an explanation for her absence from the fan meeting and for the lack of communication with fans. BLACKPINK also released a new album, “DEADLINE,” for the first time in four years, but because there were almost no activities other than the world tour, some fans who had been waiting for full-group activities voiced disappointment. MAMAMOO, too, since shifting to the “separately, and together” style, has broadened each member’s individual activities, including holding world tours. Meanwhile, the resumption of MAMAMOO’s group activities came after about three years and six months, so fans had to wait a long time for group promotions. It is also true that a longer interval between full-group activities should not necessarily be viewed negatively. As each member’s range of activities expands and their individual schedules increase, it is a natural change. TWICE is now facing the same issue. Although the group has expressed its intention to continue activities, the challenge going forward will be how often and on what scale they can carry out full-member activities. Since TWICE has shown extraordinary teamwork over many years, attention is being drawn to the new chapter of the “separately, and together” style they will weave. *This article is based on interviews with local media.* ・TWICE’s Jihyo leaves JYP and establishes a new company, “EMITHAUS”... handwritten letter also says it does not mean a farewell to the team ・TWICE’s Sana appears on the December issue cover of Harper’s Bazaar! “In the past 10 years, I learned how to rely on the members”