After 21 years under one of South Korea’s biggest entertainment companies, TWICE leader Jihyo is making a career move that few would have imagined when she first entered the industry as a child: she is becoming her own boss. The 29-year-old singer announced on October 21 that she has officially parted ways with JYP Entertainment and established her own agency, EMITHAUS, ending a professional relationship that began long before her debut with TWICE. The decision represents a significant turning point for an artist who spent most of her childhood, adolescence, and adulthood within the same company. From training under an entertainment giant to building a company of her own, Jihyo’s latest move offers a compelling example of how an established K-pop idol can pursue greater independence without abandoning the group that helped define her career.
In a handwritten letter shared on Instagram, Jihyo reflected on the years she spent with JYP Entertainment, acknowledging both the opportunities and difficulties that shaped her development. She joined the company as a trainee in 2005, enduring approximately a decade of preparation before debuting as TWICE’s leader in 2015. Since then, the nine-member group has grown into one of K-pop’s most internationally recognized acts, building a global following through charting releases, major tours, and years of group activities. Jihyo also established herself as a solo artist with her 2023 debut EP, ZONE, led by “Killin’ Me Good.” Her departure therefore carries significance beyond an ordinary contract change: an artist who once depended on an agency to develop her career is now taking responsibility for directing its next chapter.
Her newly established company, EMITHAUS, takes inspiration from the word “emit,” reflecting her intention to express creative possibilities she has yet to explore. Jihyo described independence not as a rejection of her past, but as a decision about how she wants to approach her future. The distinction matters in an industry where entertainment agencies traditionally play substantial roles in managing an idol’s music, promotions, public image, and professional opportunities. Establishing her own company potentially gives Jihyo greater influence over her individual artistic direction, although the exact management structure and decision-making arrangements have not been publicly detailed. It is an ambitious transition that also brings new responsibilities. Being the star of a company and helping run one are different challenges, and after spending two decades learning the entertainment business from within, Jihyo is now preparing to experience it from the other side of the management table.
Perhaps the most reassuring part of the announcement for ONCEs is that leaving JYP does not mean leaving TWICE. Jihyo emphasized that the group remains an irreplaceable part of her life and expressed her intention to continue performing alongside her members. She becomes the third TWICE member reported to have departed JYP individually, following Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung, while maintaining her connection to the group. The development reflects an evolving arrangement within K-pop, where an artist’s individual management and group membership do not necessarily have to exist under the same agency. It also presents new organizational challenges, including coordinating schedules and future activities across different management companies. For TWICE, whose members have spent more than a decade building their careers together, maintaining group activities while pursuing individual independence could become another important chapter in their longevity.
Ultimately, Jihyo’s decision is more than a farewell to the company that trained her. It represents a significant shift in professional identity: from a young trainee preparing for a debut, to the leader of a globally successful girl group, and now to the founder of an entertainment company. Her announcement does not establish dissatisfaction, mistreatment, or conflict with JYP Entertainment, and she explicitly expressed gratitude for the support she received throughout her career. Instead, the move illustrates how an artist can recognize the institution that helped shape her while choosing a different path forward. For ONCEs, the next chapter may bring new music, fresh creative opportunities, and a TWICE leader exploring possibilities beyond the structure she has known for 21 years. Jihyo is not leaving behind the group that made her a star. She is stepping into a future where she has chosen to help build the stage herself.
Images from _zyozyo