Jihyo of Twice is leaving JYP Entertainment after 21 years to forge her own path.
Having established the independent label ‘EMITHAUS’ and announced a fresh start, Jihyo is ready to step beyond familiar boundaries and expand her potential as an artist. As she has led the group as the leader of Twice, this independence holds even deeper significance as she embarks on a challenge under her own name.
Previously, Jihyo revealed through a handwritten letter on the 21st that she is concluding her 21-year journey with JYP Entertainment. This marks a farewell to a management agency that accompanied her through crucial moments of her life, from her childhood as a trainee through her adolescence and into adulthood. It is expected to serve as a new turning point as she seeks out her own direction, backed by the experience and growth accumulated over a long period.
Expanding Her Potential Backed by 21 Years of Experience
The core of Jihyo’s independence lies in expanding her potential in a new environment. Jihyo established the independent label ‘EMITHAUS’ to lay the foundation for directly leading her future activities. Derived from the English word ‘EMIT’, meaning ‘to radiate’, the name embodies the direction of freely expressing an artist’s individuality and creative potential.
Jihyo spent a long time as a trainee before debuting with Twice, and since her debut in 2015, she has grown into the leader of a group with a global fandom. The experience she has built up by keeping the center of the team, alongside her performances and vocals on stage, is uniquely her asset. Having showcased a different musical color from the group through her first solo album ‘ZONE’ in 2023, attention is focused on whether she will be able to more proactively develop the music and content she pursues following her independence.
Together with Twice, Independent in Solo Activities: The Start of a New Balance
Another point to watch in this move is her relationship with Twice. Jihyo made it clear that her parting with the agency does not mean a farewell to the group. She plans to continue group activities by standing on stage with the members of Twice in the future while pursuing individual activities through her independent label.
This is significant in that it represents a ‘separately yet together’ approach that expands the color of the individual artist while preserving the group’s identity. This is because she can explore new possibilities as a solo artist while maintaining the teamwork and global recognition consolidated through group activities. How she harmoniously continues individual growth and the group’s continued activities will be an important observation point for her future moves.
Stepping Off the Familiar Path Into a New Stage: Jihyo’s Next Page
Jihyo’s independence is both the end of a long journey and a departure toward new possibilities. Based on her 21 years of experience, she has designed her own activity direction and has the opportunity to unfold aspects she has not yet shown as an artist. Jihyo aims to expand her domain with her own music and content, rather than lingering in the name of the leader of Twice. With the establishment of the independent label, attention is focused on what choices Jihyo will make to materialize her own colors.
