A brand new chapter for the team’s leader.
On Wednesday, October 21, Korean pop superstar Jihyo of the girl group TWICE uploaded a handwritten letter on social media to announce a major career move for her.
There, she revealed that after 21 years with the team’s label JYP Entertainment, a journey that began since she was a kid, she has decided to leave the company.
“Trying to put 21 years into just a few words is harder than I thought it would be,” she said. “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.”
Jihyo then expressed her sincere gratitude to everyone whom she have worked with at JYP, who has been by her side and helped her grow over the years.
“I will always cherish the time we shared and the memories we made together,” she added.
Jihyo then conveyed that finally being independent does not mark a conclusion of the time that has passed, but “a choice about how I want to live going forward.”
Thus, in line with her own plans, she has decided to establish her own company called EMITHAUS.
“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,” the K-pop star explained.
To conclude her message, she said: “As I step away from a familiar environment and begin working in new ways, I will approach every decision and every endeavor with even greater.”
Jihyo is the next member of TWICE to leave the company, following Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung, who both left by the end of their contracts in August 2026.
TWICE debuted in 2015 after the final line-up — comprising Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu — determined through the survival-reality show Sixteen.
They went on to release a string popular singles starting with their debut single Like Ooh-ahh, followed by Cheer Up, TT, LIKEY, Heartshaker, and Yes Or Yes, among many others.
The group last visited the country in October 2025 for the local stop of their This Is For concert tour at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
The team also celebrated their 11th anniversary on Tuesday, October 20.
