Ending A Two-Decade Journey From Child Trainee To Star

After spending 21 years at the only entertainment agency she has known since childhood, TWICE leader Jihyo is stepping out on her own and launching an independent company. On Wednesday, October 21, the K-pop star shared a heartfelt handwritten letter on Instagram confirming that her two-decade chapter with JYP Entertainment has officially concluded. Having joined JYP as a young child trainee, Jihyo spent her entire adolescence and early adulthood at the company before debuting as the leader and main vocalist of global girl group TWICE. In her letter, Jihyo admitted that summarizing 21 years of memories into a few paragraphs felt harder than she imagined. She thanked the JYP executives and staff who supported her through both triumphant highs and difficult moments, noting that every experience shaped the artist she is today.

Creating A New Creative Home At EMITHAUS

Rather than viewing her departure solely as an ending, Jihyo described her move toward independence as a deliberate choice about how she wants to live and create moving forward. As the first step in that new chapter, she has established her own agency called EMITHAUS. Pointing to the English word "emit"—which means to express or release—Jihyo explained that she wants her new company to serve as a creative space where she can freely explore undiscovered artistic possibilities. She pledged to approach every new business and musical decision with heightened thoughtfulness and personal responsibility.

Reassuring Fans About Her Future With TWICE

Crucially, Jihyo moved immediately to reassure fans around the world that her solo agency move does not mean she is leaving her beloved nine-member group. "TWICE is an irreplaceable part of my life," she wrote, promising to continue standing on stage and building new memories alongside her bandmates for many years to come. She also expressed deep gratitude to TWICE's devoted fandom, ONCE, for standing beside her over the past 11 years. With Wednesday's announcement, Jihyo becomes the third TWICE member to part ways with JYP Entertainment for individual management, following Jeongyeon—who signed with VARO Entertainment—and Chaeyoung. Keep up with the biggest K-pop announcements, world tours, and music industry shifts. Read our entertainment updates daily at The WAU.

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