TWICE leader Jihyo announced on October 21, 2026, that her 21-year relationship with JYP Entertainment has ended and that she has founded her own company, Emithaus. She said she will keep performing with TWICE while handling her solo career independently.
Jihyo, the leader of the South Korean girl group TWICE, announced on October 21, 2026, that she is parting ways with JYP Entertainment, the agency she had been signed to for 21 years, and has established her own management company, Emithaus.
What Jihyo Announced
Jihyo shared the news in a handwritten letter posted to her personal Instagram account. In the letter, she described her 21-year journey with JYP as having come to an end, and framed founding Emithaus not as closing a chapter but as a forward-looking choice about how she wants to live going forward, according to CNN Indonesia, Korea JoongAng Daily and Star News Korea.
After 21 years, my journey with JYP Entertainment, which began when I was still a child, has come to an end.
— Jihyo, in a handwritten letter posted on Instagram (translated from Indonesian via CNN Indonesia)
She also said she intends to keep performing with the other members of TWICE, describing the group as an irreplaceable part of her life, according to Pirates & Princesses and SBS News. Korea JoongAng Daily reported that JYP Entertainment had not issued a statement responding to Jihyo's announcement as of October 21.
Who Is Jihyo and What Led to This
Jihyo, born Park Ji-hyo, joined JYP Entertainment as a trainee in 2005 and spent roughly a decade training before debuting in 2015 as the leader and main vocalist of TWICE, according to Star News Korea. She released her first solo EP, "Zone," in 2023, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
The departure follows months of public speculation. On July 14, 2026, JYP Entertainment told entertainment outlet Xportsnews, as cited by Star News Korea, that TWICE was in a period of contract renewal discussions and was proceeding with careful deliberation, after reports suggested several members might not re-sign. All TWICE members had last renewed their contracts with JYP in 2022, agreements that were set to expire in 2026.
The New Agency: Emithaus
Jihyo's new company is named Emithaus, a name she said derives from the word "emit," referring to releasing or radiating energy and potential, according to CNN Indonesia. She described the venture as a space to pursue creative possibilities she has not yet explored.
Other TWICE Members Who Left JYP in 2026
Jihyo is not the first TWICE member to exit JYP this year. According to Pirates & Princesses, Jeongyeon left the agency in August 2026 and signed with Varo Entertainment, while Chaeyoung departed on August 13, 2026, to pursue solo work independently. According to Star News Korea, Tzuyu was reportedly weighing a similar move as of July 2026, though no official departure had been confirmed for her at that time.
TWICE Members' 2026 Agency Status
Member
Status reported in 2026
Source
Jeongyeon
Left JYP in August 2026; signed with Varo Entertainment
Pirates & Princesses
Chaeyoung
Left JYP on August 13, 2026, for solo work
Pirates & Princesses
Jihyo
Left JYP on October 21, 2026; founded Emithaus
Korea JoongAng Daily; Star News Korea; CNN Indonesia
Tzuyu
Reportedly weighing a move as of July 2026; no confirmed departure
Star News Korea
What Happens to TWICE Now
Despite the string of individual departures from JYP, all members involved — including Jihyo — have said they intend to continue TWICE as a group. JYP Entertainment's July statement indicated the agency was still in talks over how the group's activities would proceed once individual contracts lapsed, but as of the October 21 announcement the company had not issued updated comment on the group's collective future.
Questions
Did Jihyo leave TWICE?
No. Jihyo left her agency, JYP Entertainment, not the group. She said she intends to keep performing with TWICE while managing her solo career through her new company, Emithaus.
What is Emithaus?
Emithaus is the independent management company Jihyo founded after leaving JYP Entertainment on October 21, 2026. She said the name comes from the word 'emit,' referring to releasing creative energy and potential.
Why did Jihyo leave JYP Entertainment?
Jihyo's departure came after her 21-year contract period with JYP ended; she described it in her announcement as a choice about her future direction rather than a conclusion. JYP had said in July 2026 that TWICE was in a period of contract renewal discussions.
Have other TWICE members also left JYP?
Yes. According to Pirates & Princesses, Jeongyeon left JYP in August 2026 and signed with Varo Entertainment, and Chaeyoung left on August 13, 2026, for solo work. Tzuyu was reportedly considering a similar move as of July 2026, with no confirmed departure at that time, per Star News Korea.
When did Jihyo debut with TWICE?
Jihyo debuted with TWICE in 2015 as the group's leader and main vocalist, after joining JYP as a trainee in 2005, according to Star News Korea.
How the world is telling it
IndonesianIndonesian outlets such as CNN Indonesia framed the story around the end of Jihyo's 21-year tenure at JYP and the launch of her new agency Emithaus, emphasizing the meaning behind the company's name and her 2023 solo EP 'Zone' as background on her independent ambitions.
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