Jihyo is closing one of K-pop’s longest artist-agency chapters and starting a new one on her own.
TWICE leader Jihyo has left JYP Entertainment after 21 years and started her own single-person company, EMITHAUS. She says she’ll stay with TWICE. The announcement came on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, in a handwritten letter shared on Instagram. And she is the third TWICE member after Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung to leave the agency this year.
What Jihyo Said
In the letter, Jihyo reflected on spending most of her life at JYP, from childhood through her teenage years and into adulthood. She thanked the staff who supported her and said both the good and the hard times shaped who she is today.
She said, “Trying to put 21 years into just a few words is harder than I thought it would be. From 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.”
Alongside the letter, she also shared her childhood video as a trainee at JYP.
She also made clear the move doesn’t affect TWICE. Jihyo described the group as an irreplaceable part of her life and said she will keep performing with her bandmates. She thanked fans for 11 years of support.
She framed the decision less as a clean break and more as a personal choice. “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,” she wrote.
What EMITHAUS Is
EMITHAUS is a one-person agency that will manage Jihyo’s solo activities, according to Korea JoongAng Daily. In the letter, Jihyo called EMITHAUS “the first step in this new chapter.” She also explained the name by referencing the word “emit,” saying she wants to “freely unfold even the possibilities of myself that I have not yet discovered here.”
In a press release, the company said Jihyo hopes to take on new challenges and show her potential as an artist.
What EMITHAUS Means For Jihyo And TWICE
Right now, EMITHAUS appears to be focused on Jihyo’s solo management, including her own music, content, and future projects. So this JYP Entertainment departure is being presented as a move toward independent management, not a group exit.
Reports in July described a “separate but together” arrangement being discussed for TWICE, in which members handle solo work through their own agencies while group activities continue under JYP. BLACKPINK and Super Junior operate similarly. Neither JYP nor Jihyo has detailed her group contract, so how that model applies to her is not yet confirmed.
Jihyo 21 Years at JYP
Jihyo’s journey with JYP started in 2005 when she became a trainee at just 8 years old. She basically grew up at the agency, putting in 10 full years of hard work before debuting in 2015 as TWICE’s leader and main vocalist. Over the years, she’s helped lead the group to massive milestones, like winning “Song of the Year” for their breakout hit “Cheer Up” in 2016 and landing in the top 3 of the US Billboard 200 with Formula of Love.
She also proved her individual star power in 2023 when her solo debut mini-album, ZONE, sold over half a million copies in its first week and cracked the top 15 on the Billboard chart.
How Fans Are Reacting on Social Media
So bittersweet, but I’m excited for Jihyo’s next chapter!😭💖
Pretty sure we were all expecting this, but it doesn’t mean we were ready. I will follow Jihyo wherever, and I’m glad that this doesn’t mean the end of Twice!
Jihyo is the idol that every entertainment agency dreams about. Someone who is dedicated, puts in the time, and truly enjoys the job. She deserves this new chapter!
21 years in any company is insanely impressive. Jihyo has spent 4 out of 5 generations of K-pop in JYP, and now she’s going to be starting her own company. I wish her best of luck. Reddit