The past year brought a lot of changes, especially for the K-pop industry. From new faces making their debuts to beloved stars making their comeback, there have been many interesting headlines. However, one topic that seemed common in 2024 was contract terminations.
In just 12 months, we’ve seen many groups announce their departure from their company for a multitude of reasons – whether it be due to public disputes or contract expiration. Here are ten of the most surprising company departures in 2024, from NewJeans to Nana.
NewJeans
After months of speculation, girl group NewJeans (뉴진스) officially announced they terminated their exclusive contracts with ADOR in late November 2024. This move comes after the group pressured the agency to reinstate creative director Min Hee Jin (민희진) as CEO. However, the agency contended the members’ statement, saying all five idols are still under contract.
Chen, Xiumin & Baekhyun (EXO)
The first few idols who left their company in 2024 were EXO (엑소) members Chen (첸), Xiumin (시우민) and Baekhyun (백현). The three vocalists, who also make up the EXO-CBX (엑소-첸백시) subunit, joined INB100 in January 2024 after leaving SM Entertainment. The new agency will oversee their solo activities while their activities under EXO remain managed under SM Entertainment.
Onew & Taemin (SHINee)
Another two idols who left SM Entertainment in the last year were Onew (온유) and Taemin (태민). After their exclusive contract with the entertainment giant expired in March 2024, the two SHINee (샤이니) members went on to join new agencies for their solo endeavours. Onew is now contracted with Griffin Entertainment, while Taemin signed with BPM Entertainment.
fromis_9
Girl group fromis_9 (프로미스나인) also terminated their exclusive contracts this year, mutually parting ways with their agency, Pledis Entertainment, after three years. While the announcement was made earlier, the contract will officially expire on the coming 31st December. The group are set to release one final single under the company on 23rd December to thank their fans.
Loossemble
CTENM Entertainment girl group Loossemble (루셈블) was formed in 2023 by five former LOONA (이달의 소녀) members after terminating their contract with Blockberry Creative. However, in November 2024, the members announced their contract with CTENM Entertainment had expired. As of now, it’s unknown whether the group will move to a new agency, remain independent, or disband.
Jessi
In January 2024, rapper Jessi (제시) announced her departure from Jay Park’s More Vision label and subsequently signed a management contract with DOD Entertainment to launch her label, UNNI. However, after the assault incident in late September, DOD Entertainment announced they had terminated the contract at Jessi’s request.
THE BOYZ
In a rare move, all 11 members of THE BOYZ (더보이즈) collectively signed with ONE HUNDRED in December 2024, following the expiration of their contracts with IST Entertainment. In addition to resigning as a whole, the boy group also got to keep their group name, after their now-former company agreed to hand over the usage rights to their new label.
Gongchan (B1A4)
B1A4 (비원에이포) member Gongchan (공찬) made his official debut under WM Entertainment in 2011, becoming the youngest member of the boy group. After remaining loyal to the company for 13 years, the singer announced his departure in June 2024. However, the idol will continue working with the agency for his team activities as a member of B1A4.
Nana (After School)
Another idol who left her company after over a decade together is After School (애프터스쿨) member Nana (나나). The singer-turned-actress left Pledis Entertainment in September 2024, later signing with talent agency Sublime. The star was the last After School member to leave the Pledis Entertainment, parting ways with the company after 15 years.
Seungsik, Sejun & Seungwoo (VICTON)
Following in the footsteps of their VICTON (빅톤) groupmates, Seungsik (승식), Sejun (세준) and Seungwoo (승우) also left their agency IST Entertainment following their contracts’ expiration. Seungsik and Sejun both departed from the company on 17th December, while Seungwoo left the company in November. The other members – Byungchan (병찬), Hanse (한세) and Subin (수빈) – left the company in 2023.
Of course, there are many more idols who left their company in the past year, and this list has also highlighted a few. Nevertheless, we wish all the stars the best of luck in their future endeavours!
