Twice’s Jeongyeon leaves JYP Entertainment after 16 years
Twice member Jeongyeon is leaving JYP Entertainment after 16 years, but will continue her activities with the K-pop girl group.
Jeongyeon announced her departure in an Instagram letter on Monday, Aug. 10 saying she is preparing to “start a new chapter in a new place.”
“JYP has been my second home since my teenage years; a place where I’ve spent so much time and created so many cherished memories,” Jeongyeon wrote.
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The K-pop star thanked her fellow members, fans known as Once, and the JYP family for supporting her throughout her career as she assured fans that Twice will remain a priority in her life.
“The one thing I truly want to tell ONCE is that even though I am moving on to a new chapter to take on new challenges, TWICE, the center of my life, will remain unchanged, just as it is now,” she said. “Standing before ONCE as a member of TWICE will always be my very first priority.”
Jeongyeon also said she will continue working on her journey both as “Twice’s Jeongyeon” and as “Yu Jeongyeon,” her full name, as she takes on new challenges.
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Shortly after announcing her departure from JYP, Jeongyeon signed an exclusive contract with Baro Entertainment.
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Baro Entertainment said it was “sincerely delighted” to form a partnership with Jeongyeon, praising her “diverse charm and infinite potential” as well as her “sincere attitude and genuine passion for acting.”
The agency said it will support Jeongyeon in pursuing new challenges as an actress while also helping her continue her group activities with Twice.
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Baro Entertainment is also the agency of Jeongyeon’s older sister, actress Gong Seung-yeon, as well as actors Jin Goo, Byun Woo-seok, Park Jung-woo, Lee Yu-mi, Lee Hong-nae, Lee Soo-kyung, Lee Chae-min, and Kim Si-a.
Jeongyeon has been a member of Twice since the group’s debut in 2015. She is the first member to leave JYP Entertainment while remaining part of the group.
Jeongyeon spent about 16 years with JYP Entertainment. She joined the agency as a trainee in 2010 and debuted with Twice in 2015 after training for five years.