After 21 years with JYP Entertainment, Twice leader Jihyo is going her own way, and she has set up her own agency, Emithaus, for her solo work.
The 29-year-old announced the move on Wednesday (21 October), while confirming that she will continue activities with Twice.
Continuing With Twice
In a handwritten Instagram letter, translated by Soompi, Jihyo assured fans that her departure from JYP did not mean leaving the group.
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She described Twice as an irreplaceable part of her life and said she wanted to keep performing alongside her fellow members and creating memories together for years to come.
She also thanked the group’s fans, known as Once, for supporting her over the past 11 years. Their trust and encouragement, she said, had given her the courage to move forward.
A New Agency For Her Solo Career
Jihyo explained that becoming independent was a decision about how she wanted to shape her future.
Establishing Emithaus was her first step in that direction. Drawing on the word “emit”, meaning to express or release, she said she hoped the company would give her room to explore abilities and possibilities she had yet to discover.
As she began working outside a familiar environment, she pledged to make future decisions with greater thought and responsibility.
She already has experience as a solo artiste, having released her debut solo EP, Zone, in 2023. Her new agency will support her solo career alongside her continuing work with Twice.
From Child Trainee To Group Leader
Jihyo joined JYP at eight years old and trained for a decade before debuting with Twice in 2015.
Reflecting on that time, she thanked the people at JYP who had supported her growth. Both the good and difficult experiences, she said, had helped shape the person she is today.
She isn’t the first Twice member to make a move. Jeongyeon signed with Varo Entertainment for her acting career, and Chaeyoung has gone solo under her Lil Fantasy project.
