TWICE leader Jihyo leaves JYP Entertainment after 21 years and launches Emithaus.
Jihyo confirms she will continue group activities while developing her solo career.
The singer debuted with TWICE in 2015 and released her solo EP Zone in 2023.
TWICE leader Jihyo has parted ways with JYP Entertainment after 21 years and launched her own agency, Emithaus, marking a major change in her career. The singer announced the news on Wednesday through a handwritten Instagram letter, reflecting on her time with the company and her plans for the future. She will continue performing with TWICE while pursuing her solo activities.
TWICE's Jihyo announces new agency Emithaus
In her letter, Jihyo looked back on a journey that began when she was a child and continued through her teenage years and adulthood.
“After 21 years, my journey with JYP Entertainment, which began when I was just a child, has come to an end,” Jihyo wrote. “From my 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.”
The announcement follows speculation in July that Jihyo could leave JYP Entertainment as discussions surrounding TWICE's contract renewal approached. While expressing gratitude for her time at the company, she described independence as an opportunity to shape her future on her own terms.
“To me, independence is not so much a conclusion about the time that has passed, but a choice about how I want to live going forward,” Jihyo said. “As the first step in this new chapter, I have established my own company, Emithaus.”
What is Emithaus? Jihyo's plans for her solo career
According to a press release, the name Emithaus draws on the word “emit”, meaning to give off or release. Through the company, Jihyo hopes to explore new creative opportunities and show different sides of herself as an artist.
“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,” she wrote.
Emithaus will support Jihyo's future activities, including her solo career, while she remains a member of TWICE.
Jihyo debuted with TWICE in 2015 after training at JYP Entertainment from childhood. The group became known for hits such as Cheer Up, TT and What Is Love?. She launched her solo career in 2023 with her debut EP, Zone.
