On April 28th, IST Entertainment announced that Apink’s Park Chorong, Yoon Bomi, Kim Namjoo, and Oh Hayoung will be leaving the agency after contract expiration. The remaining member, Jung Eunji, has decided to renew her contract with the company. The group has been with the agency for 12 years.
Although they will be parting ways with the company, they have assured fans that Apink will continue group activities.
The company released the following statement [Via Naver]:
“Hello. This is IST Entertainment.
We sincerely thank all the fans who care for and support Apink.
We are making an official announcement regarding Apink’s future activities.
Ahead of the end of Apink’s exclusive contracts with our agency, we and the members put our heads together and carefully discussed the matter. It was ultimately determined that for the sake of each member’s new growth in the future, Park Chorong, Yoon Bomi, Kim Namjoo, and Oh Hayoung will end their beautiful 12-year journey with us, which began with their debut, at the end of April.
We recently renewed our contract with Jung Eun Ji, and we will be continuing our relationship. In addition to her activities as a singer, Jung Eun Ji also plans to greet you soon with a new acting project, and we plan to consistently support her so that she can stand out in a wide array of fields.
Regardless of their contracts, all of the Apink members are firm in their love of the group and their determination to continue their group activities, so they have promised to carry on with their group activities without disbandment. Our agency will cooperate with Apink after discussions regarding their future activities, and we plan to work together with them so that they can stay together as a group.
We sincerely thank all of the Apink members, who spent a long 12 years racing together with us and making their mark as one of the representative girl groups of K-pop. We ask that the fans continue to give their unchanging love and warm support to Apink, who is preparing for a new journey.
Thank you.”
Previously, Son Naeun signed with a new agency in 2021, choosing to continue as a member of the group. In 2022, she announced her departure from the group.
We look forward to their future activities and wish them the best on their new journeys.