Twice's Chaeyoung leaves JYP to start her own label 

Girl group Twice's Chaeyoung will begin her solo career separately from JYP Entertainment but will stay as a member of Twice and continue her group activities. 

"I am going to build my music in my own 'Lil Fantasy' world," Chaeyoung said in a letter posted to her Instagram on Thursday. "I want to thank everyone at JYP and the Twice team, who supported and believed in a tomboy like me for 14 years." 

The Twice member did not specify if the 'Lil Fantasy' mentioned in her letter was the name of her new agency or label. The name Lil Fantasy comes from her first solo album "Lil Fantasy Vol. 1," which dropped on Sept. 12, 2025. 

"Chaeyoung's post comes three days after fellow member Jeongyeon announced her departure from JYP Entertainment, the first of Twice's nine members to do so. Jeongyeon had signed with Varo Entertainment — which houses her older sister and actor Gong Seung-yeon — but will not leave the group itself. 

"Also, above all, I want to say that my Twice activities will go on unchanged," Chaeyoung said. "I think the reason I am loved this much is the time I have spent with Twice, my roots." 

The member also told fans to continue supporting her. 

"I hope that both Chaeyoung of Twice and Chaeyoung of 'Lil Fantasy' can give you music that matters in your lives," she wrote.

Chaeyoung joined JYP Entertainment as a trainee in 2012 and debuted as a member of Twice in October 2015 with the single "Like Ooh-Ahh." The girl group recently completed its sixth world tour with finale performances on July 10, 11 and 12 at the KSPO Dome in Songpa District, southern Seoul.  

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]