TWICE leader Jihyo is reportedly preparing to leave JYP Entertainment after about 21 years with the company, with Korean reports saying she is planning her own one-person agency. The scoop has fans immediately searching “Is Jihyo leaving JYP Entertainment, and what does that mean for TWICE?”
The twist: those same reports say Jihyo is expected to keep promoting with TWICE, separating her solo contract from the group’s activities. With TWICE in a new contract-renewal window after a Billboard 200 No.1 era, this possible “CEO Jihyo” move could reshape how the group is managed without ending it.
Report: Jihyo leaving JYP Entertainment for her own agency
A July 14 exclusive from Korean outlet JoyNews24 stated that Jihyo has decided to part ways with JYP when her current deal ends and is preparing a one-person agency focused on solo promotions. The report described her holding meetings with industry figures as she builds the new company.
According to that coverage, the expected plan is for Jihyo’s solo activities to be handled by her own agency while TWICE’s group promotions continue under JYP through a separate contract. This model lets an idol expand individually without cutting ties with the group that made them a star.
JYP’s official stance is more cautious. The agency has said that TWICE is currently in a period of discussing contract renewals and that it will share updates once decisions are finalized, without directly confirming or denying Jihyo’s reported move. Until Jihyo or JYP issue a clear statement, her new agency remains unannounced.
From decade-long trainee to Billboard star
Jihyo joined JYP as a child trainee in 2005, trained for about ten years, then debuted in 2015 as TWICE’s leader and main vocalist. Her long history with the company was highlighted last year when JYP released special content marking her 20th anniversary with the agency.
She has also built a strong solo identity. In 2023, Jihyo dropped her first solo mini album ZONE, which entered the Billboard 200 at No.14, with its title track collecting tens of millions of streams on platforms like Spotify. That performance proved her power as an individual act.
At the same time, TWICE as a group are at a global high. All nine members renewed with JYP in 2022, their 13th mini album With YOU-th topped the Billboard 200 in 2024, and their Korean and Japanese releases have reportedly surpassed 10 million albums sold. Any change in Jihyo’s contract lands while TWICE are still one of K-pop’s biggest acts.
One-person agency in K-pop: what it means for Jihyo and TWICE
A one-person agency in K-pop usually means an idol sets up a small company that manages only their solo music, acting, and brand work, often with trusted staff. The group contract can stay with the original label, similar to Western artists launching their own imprints while still in a band.
Recent coverage points to examples like BLACKPINK, BigBang, and Super Junior members, who maintain group activities under one company while handling solo careers elsewhere. For fans, this structure often signals a new phase of creative control, not automatic disbandment.
In Jihyo’s case, current reports consistently state that she is expected to remain active in TWICE even if her solo agency becomes reality. There is no official indication that she is leaving the group.
TWICE debuted in 2015, renewed once in 2022, and are now hitting another renewal point under Korea’s seven-year contract guidelines. Other members, including Tzuyu, have been mentioned in separate renewal rumors, but JYP has repeated that discussions are ongoing. Fans will be watching for a focused JYP announcement on Jihyo, any formal reveal of her agency, and how upcoming TWICE comebacks or tours describe the group’s lineup and management.