SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Yonhap) -- Jeongyeon, a member of K-pop girl group TWICE, has left her longtime agency, JYP Entertainment, and signed with a star agency that represents her older sister, actor Gong Seung-yeon, the company said Monday.

Jeongyeon, whose real name is Yoo Jeong-yeon, has signed an exclusive contract with Varo Entertainment after 11 years with JYP, where she debuted as a member of TWICE in 2015.

"We are truly delighted to form a valuable relationship with Yoo Jeong-yeon, who possesses a diverse range of charms and infinite potential," Varo said in a statement.

Jeongyeon plans to begin pursuing her acting career under the agency while continuing her activities with TWICE, one of the leading girl groups in the K-pop industry.

In a message posted on social media, she said she had been afraid to leave a familiar environment but found the courage to do so thanks to her fellow members and the group's fans, known as Once.

"Although I am moving to a new home and beginning a new challenge, I will continue to protect TWICE, which is at the very heart of who I am," she said. "Standing before Once as a member of TWICE will always be my first priority," she added.

sshim@yna.co.kr

(END)

  • Gemini, BTS collaboration on display at Las Vegas Sphere
  • U.S. Marines stage live-fire drills involving FPV drones for 1st time in S. Korea
  • Galaxy Z series logs 1.44 mln preorders in S. Korea, highest on record
  • Christopher Nolan invites Korean audience to embark on cinematic adventure with 'The Odyssey'

  • Actor Kim Soo-hyun to hold fan event in Philippines

  • U.S. Marines stage live-fire drills involving FPV drones for 1st time in S. Korea

  • (LEAD) Police raid Starbucks Korea over controversial promotional event
  • Gemini, BTS collaboration on display at Las Vegas Sphere
  • Actor Kim Soo-hyun to hold fan event in Philippines

  • (2nd LD) Lee says revision to Criminal Procedure Act will be 'start of judicial normalization'

  • 30,000-50,000 N. Koreans to be deployed in Russia: Zelenskyy

  • Number of S. Koreans not eating kimchi on rise: data
  • USFK air defense unit participates in recent U.S. missile defense exercise in Palau
  • Energy demand hits yearly high on continued heat wave
  • Man City beat Atletico Madrid to foil Lee Kang-in's debut in Seoul