TWICE Faces Major Shake-Up as Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung Leave JYP: Are More Members Next?

TWICE is entering a major new chapter, with two of its members confirming their departures from JYP Entertainment within just days of each other.

The nine-member girl group itself is not disbanding, but the decisions by Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung to leave the agency have sparked intense speculation about whether other members could follow the same path.

With rumors surrounding Jihyo, Tzuyu, and Dahyun, fans are now wondering whether TWICE could eventually adopt a model similar to BLACKPINK, where members pursue solo careers through different agencies while continuing group activities together.

For now, however, nothing has been confirmed regarding additional departures.

Jeongyeon Starts “New Chapter in New Place”

The first major announcement came from Jeongyeon on August 10. After spending 16 years with JYP Entertainment, including her trainee years, the TWICE member confirmed that she would be leaving the company and beginning what she described as a “new chapter in a new place.”

Jeongyeon’s next move reportedly came quickly. She is said to have signed an exclusive contract with VARO Entertainment, an agency known for representing actor Byeon Woo-seok. The agency also represents her sister, actress Gong Seung-yeon.

The move has fueled expectations that Jeongyeon could place a stronger focus on acting and other individual activities outside of TWICE.

Her departure marked the beginning of a whirlwind week for the group.

Chaeyoung Follows With Her Own Announcement

Just three days later, on August 13, Chaeyoung revealed that she would also be leaving JYP Entertainment after 14 years with the company.

The rapper shared a heartfelt letter with fans on Instagram, expressing excitement about entering a new phase of her career. She described her future musical world as “LIL FANTASY,” suggesting that she hopes to develop a more personal creative identity moving forward.

At the same time, Chaeyoung made sure to reassure ONCEs that her decision would not affect her commitment to TWICE. “Nothing changes with TWICE,” she emphasized.

That reassurance has become particularly significant as speculation about the group’s future continues to grow.

Are Jihyo, Tzuyu and Dahyun Next?

With Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung now confirmed to be leaving JYP, attention has naturally shifted to the other seven members.

Among them, Jihyo, Tzuyu, and Dahyun are currently the subject of the most intense speculation. However, none of the three has officially announced plans to leave JYP Entertainment.

Jihyo Could Reportedly Pursue Her Own Agency

TWICE leader Jihyo is reportedly one of the members who could be considering greater independence for her solo career.

Multiple reports have suggested that she may establish a one-person agency to oversee her individual activities. Jihyo has been associated with JYP since 2005, making her one of the company’s longest-serving artists.

After spending so many years within the agency system, the possibility of Jihyo taking greater control over her solo career has naturally attracted attention.

Tzuyu’s Future Could Have Taiwan Connection

Tzuyu is also facing speculation over her next career move. Reports have suggested that the youngest TWICE member could choose not to renew with JYP and potentially move her solo activities to an agency based closer to her native Taiwan.

One possibility being discussed is an agency reportedly founded by her mother. If such a move happens, it could allow Tzuyu to expand her individual activities in Taiwan while continuing to build her career internationally.

For now, though, there has been no official confirmation of such plans.

Dahyun’s situation is particularly interesting because of her growing involvement in acting.

The TWICE member has increasingly explored opportunities on screen, prompting speculation that she could eventually move to an agency with stronger expertise in managing actors.

However, JYP recently opened an “Actor Manager” position under TWICE’s division. Some fans have interpreted the move as a possible attempt to strengthen its ability to manage Dahyun’s acting activities and potentially keep her at the company. Whether that interpretation is accurate remains unclear.

Could TWICE Follow BLACKPINK’s Model?

The developments have inevitably drawn comparisons to BLACKPINK. After their exclusive contracts with YG Entertainment expired, Jennie, Lisa, Jisoo, and Rosé pursued their solo careers through separate agencies and personal companies while maintaining their group activities with YG.

That arrangement allowed BLACKPINK’s members to have greater freedom over their individual careers without ending their journey as a group.

TWICE could potentially follow a similar path if more members choose to leave JYP. However, music critic Lim Hee-yun believes the two situations are not necessarily interchangeable.

BLACKPINK established strong individual identities early in their careers, with each member developing significant global recognition and major luxury brand partnerships. The group also consists of only four members, making coordination between different management teams considerably simpler.

TWICE, meanwhile, has nine members and has historically operated with a much stronger group-first identity. Although Nayeon, Jihyo, and Tzuyu have already released solo music, the members’ individual global profiles have developed differently from those of BLACKPINK.

Managing a nine-member group while individual members are represented by multiple agencies could create significant challenges, particularly when it comes to recording schedules, promotions, tours, endorsements, and other group commitments.

TWICE’s Biggest Strength?

Despite the uncertainty, there is one factor that could work strongly in TWICE’s favor: the members’ shared identity as a group.

The members have spent more than a decade building TWICE into one of K-pop’s most established girl groups. Their collective legacy remains a major part of their value, and that could provide enough motivation for the members to continue working together even if their solo careers eventually come under different management.

In other words, leaving JYP does not necessarily mean leaving TWICE.

The decisions by Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung demonstrate that members can seek new opportunities while still reassuring fans about the group’s future. If others eventually make similar moves, TWICE could enter a more complicated management structure without necessarily becoming less united as a group.

JYP Remains Tight-Lipped About Group’s Future

For now, JYP Entertainment has offered little clarity on the situation, saying only that it is “in the process of discussing contract renewals”.

That leaves plenty of questions unanswered.

Will more TWICE members leave JYP? Could the group eventually be managed across multiple agencies? And, most importantly, can all nine members continue TWICE’s group activities while pursuing increasingly independent careers?

For the moment, the answers remain uncertain. What is clear is that TWICE is entering a new era and the group’s next chapter could look very different from everything that came before it.