After almost a year since former SNSD Girls’ Generation member Jessica Jung was abruptly dropped from the K-Pop idol girl group, it has now been made known that Jessica and agency SM Entertainment are done with each other.
Yes, apparently it’s true.
Last September, the K-Pop world reeled with shock upon hearing that Jessica had been taken out of South Korea’s biggest and most popular girl group. The initial news came from Jessica herself when she updated her Weibo account (China-based social media platform) with an alarming post that read:
I was excited about our upcoming fan events only to shockingly be informed by my company and 8 others that as of today, I’m no longer a member. I’m devastated – my priority and love is to serve as a member of GG, but for no justifiable reason, I am being forced out.
The “bomb” came right after all 9 members of SNSD Girls’ Generation had their contracts with SM Entertainment renewed. In fact, SM Entertainment and the girls came to an agreement on all their contracts, with needed negotiations to fit the members’ needs as well.
Supposedly, with that renewal, there’d be no problems for the girls to promote for the next 3 years.
SM Entertainment later released a statement confirm to that SNSD Girls’ Generation will be promoting as 8 members with Jessica leaving the group. SM said that Jessica told them that she will be stopping team promotions after the end of one more album’s promotions due to a personal situation. The agency also added that a situation arose where it became difficult for Jessica to continue as a team due to her fashion business aka BLANC & ECLARE.
This was refuted by Jessica herself, who released her own official statement to say that she received great pain and cannot hide her sadness when she was asked by SM Entertainment and her fellow members, whom she has spent 15 years of her life with, to leave:
Ultimately, I pleaded that it was unfair to make me choose (between the group and her business). Becoming a Girls’ Generation member was the best thing in my life, and I’ve never thought about quitting.
At that time, although Jessica had officially left the group, SM Entertainment still had a stronghold on her personal activities.
There was no turning back for Jessica and it remained that way despite a “Catch Me If You Can” leak suggesting that she was originally involved in SNSD Girls’ Generation’s Japanese comeback.
But now, it has been announced that she’s no longer with SM Entertainment. This was confirmed by the agency who released an official statement regarding their contract status. The brief and straightforward statement read:
Hello. This is SM Entertainment. After discussing with Jessica, who has been an artist under SM Entertainment this past while, we have both decided to go our separate ways for the progress of each. Please cheer on Jessica who will be starting a new beginning.
Jessica also released a statement that confirmed the above news:
Hello, This is Jessica. I would like to let everyone know that I have officially terminated my contract with SM after much discussion and both parties have decided to officially go on each other’s way. I cherish all the time I spent with SM and wish the best for the company. I would like to thank all the fans for your love and support. I will also do my best to live up to my fans expectations. I would like to ask you to watch over my new beginning.
What do you make of the sudden news? Are you happy for Jessica that she’s finally free of SM Entertainment? Do you think that she’ll sign with a new agency and pursue solo singing activities considering the fact that she was rumoured to be working with Jermaine Jackson (Michael Jackson’s brother)?
One thing’s for sure though – at least as a rising fashion icon, there’s no doubt that she’s set to go places.
Good luck, Sica. Fighting 