Jeongyeon, member of JYP Entertainment’s powerhouse girl group TWICE, has announced the termination of her exclusive contract with the company.

The announcement came on August 10, via a heartfelt handwritten letter from Jeongyeon uploaded on social media. Within the letter, she names JYP her “second home” and expresses gratitude for the company and for fans, emphasising that she will remain a member of TWICE.

“The one thing I truly want to tell ONCE is that even though I am moving on to a new chapter to take on new challenges,” it reads, “TWICE, the center of my life, will remain unchanged, just as it is now. Standing before ONCE as a member of TWICE will always be my very first priority.”

Alongside the letter came an announcement from VARO Entertainment, an agency focusing solely on acting, film, and TV production. It states that Jeongyeon has joined the agency under her full name Yoo Jeongyeon, and will be pursuing a career as an actress with a “genuine commitment” to the venture.

The remainder of the statement solidifies VARO’s intentions, and declares that they do not intend to disregard Jeongyeon’s previous success: “Building on the global presence she has cultivated over many years as an artist, we will be a dependable partner that provides unwavering support in every area, enabling her to take on new challenges as an actress while continuing her group activities smoothly.”

Both announcements come after the conclusion of TWICE’s record-breaking ‘THIS IS FOR’ World Tour and subsequent rumours of contract terminations for several members, Jeongyeon included. Therefore, this news is not unexpected. Instead, it acts as reassurance for fans that Jeongyeon still intends to pursue activities both as a member of TWICE and as an individual.

Questions remain over what group activities will look like in the future, especially as other members have stated that discussions over their personal contracts with JYP are ongoing. It is possible that they will be reduced in frequency, as has been the case for groups such as BLACKPINK which see members pursuing individual careers.

For now, fans can look forward to seeing more of Jeongyeon on screen as casting announcements are expected to follow.