Girls’ Generation’s Yuri is leaving SM Entertainment after 19 years, with her exclusive contract set to conclude on August 31. It is a major career transition for one of K-pop’s most recognizable second-generation idols, but SM has already answered SONEs’ biggest question: Yuri will remain a member of Girls’ Generation.
The announcement separates Yuri’s individual management from her place in the group, not her long-running connection to SNSD. For fans, that distinction matters. Yuri’s next agency has not been announced, and neither has a new group schedule, leaving this chapter both reassuring and wide open.
Yuri leaves SM Entertainment after 19 years
SM Entertainment announced on July 31 that it had mutually agreed with Kwon Yuri to conclude their 19-year relationship on August 31. Yuri debuted with Girls’ Generation in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades building a career that stretches across music, acting, variety programming, and hosting.
In its statement, SM thanked Yuri for her work as an “all-around artist” and reflected on the path she took from her Girls’ Generation debut to her acting career. The company also said it would support Yuri as she begins a new journey.
There was no reason given for the departure, and neither Yuri nor SM has announced where she will go next. That means any claims about a new label, solo music plans, acting deal, tour, or fan meeting remain unconfirmed.
Girls’ Generation activities will continue
The key message for SONEs is direct: SM said Yuri’s “future activities as Girls’ Generation will continue unchanged.” Yuri is leaving the agency, but she is not leaving the group.
Yuri becomes the fifth Girls’ Generation member to leave SM while remaining part of the act. Sunny, Tiffany, Sooyoung, and Seohyun previously moved on from the company, while Taeyeon, Hyoyeon, and YoonA are still with SM according to the available source material.
That cross-agency setup is already part of Girls’ Generation’s modern reality. It does not confirm a comeback or new release, but it shows that individual contracts and group membership are not the same thing for this legacy act.
What Yuri’s next chapter could bring
Yuri’s SM exit closes a defining professional chapter, but the agency’s statement also highlights how broad her career has become. Beyond Girls’ Generation hits including Into the New World, Gee, and FOREVER 1, she has built credits in dramas, films, variety shows, and MC work.
For now, the next confirmed date is August 31, when Yuri’s SM contract officially concludes. Fans should watch for a direct announcement from Yuri or her future representatives, as well as any official Girls’ Generation update that clarifies when the members may reunite for their next activity.