Girls' Generation member Yuri to leave SM Entertainment after 19 years

Yuri from Girls' Generation is set to leave SM Entertainment after 19 years.

She is the fifth member of the eight-person girl group to leave the agency. Only Taeyeon, Yoona, and Hyoyeon remain at SM.

Tiffany, Sooyoung, and Seohyun ended their exclusive contracts with SM in 2017 and Sunny in 2023.

In a statement on Thursday (July 30), SM Entertainment wrote: "Following in-depth discussions with Kwon Yuri, we have reached a mutual agreement to conclude our 19 years together on Aug 31."

They added that it had been a "precious time" to accompany Yuri from her debut with the Girls' Generation in 2007, to "leading the K-pop wave across the world, growing into a group that defined an era, to shining as an actress".

Although her exclusive contract with SM Entertainment is coming to an end, the agency said that she will continue her activities with the girl group "as before".

20th anniversary plans

Despite a majority of the members not being in the same agency anymore, plans for Girls Generation's 20th anniversary celebrations appear to be going strong.

During an appearance on variety show The Manager, broadcast on June 27, Tiffany shared that plans were underway, but did not reveal any details.

"We made big comebacks for our 10th and 15th anniversaries. As we gained those experiences, there will be a big project for our 20th anniversary," she said, adding that it will happen in summer 2027.

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drimac@asiaone.com