Four members of Apink choose not to renew contracts with IST Entertainment, but the girl group will continue with new agency.

Captured from Apink's Instagram

Four members of the K-pop girl group Apink have decided not to renew their exclusive contract with their current agency, IST Entertainment. On Friday, the agency announced that only Jeong Eun-ji will be renewing her contract with the agency. The four departing members, Park Cho-rong, Yoon Bo-mi, Kim Nam-joo, and Oh Ha-young, have chosen to leave in order to pursue individual and mutual growth. Despite this, the agency has assured fans that Apink will continue as a group without disbandment.

According to the statement, “Separate from the exclusive contracts, all members of Apink have a strong will to continue group activities and have strong affections towards the group. There will be no disbandment, and group activities will continue.”

The four departing members have signed with a new agency named Choi Creative Lab. The company echoed IST Entertainment’s statement, reiterating that all members are adamant on continuing their identity as members of Apink even as they focus on their solo careers.

Apink debuted as a seven-member girl group in 2011 but is best known as a six-member group after Hong Yoo-kyung left the group in 2013. Son Na-eun left in 2022, and the band currently consists of five members: Park Cho-rong, Yoon Bo-mi, Jeong Eun-ji, Kim Nam-joo, and Oh Ha-young.

Apink’s discography spans more than a decade, and they are best known for hit tracks such as “NoNoNo” (2013), “Mr. Chu” (2014), “LUV” (2014), “Remember” (2015), “Dumhdurum” (2020), and more. “LUV” was the first song in history to receive awards from all three weekly music show programs, Music Bank, Show! Music Core, and Inkigayo, for three weeks in a row.

It remains to be seen how the departures will impact Apink’s future as a group, but fans are hopeful that the remaining members will continue to thrive and release new music together.

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