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Is Red Velvet’s Joy leaving SM Entertainment? Agency officially comments on idol’s status
Red Velvet’s Joy is reportedly leaving her agency SM Entertainment. The agency officially commented on the ongoing reports putting forward its stance. Know below!
Red Velvet’s Joy is reportedly set to leave SM Entertainment after her contract expires. After two years of training, a vocal coach gave her the stage name Joy. She was officially introduced as the fourth member of Red Velvet on July 29, 2014.
According to an exclusive report from Star News, she is preparing to part ways with the agency and is exploring new opportunities. The report also mentions that she has been meeting with agencies that specialize in actor management recently.
SM Entertainment only officially announced the re-signing of Red Velvet last year. As of now, the agency has confirmed contract renewals for Seulgi (August 2023) and Irene (February 2024), but has not made any announcements regarding Joy, Yeri, or Wendy.
Since the members joined SM at different times, and Yeri joined partway through their activities, their contract end dates vary. However, given that Red Velvet debuted in August 2014, it is presumed they unofficially renewed their contracts after the maximum exclusive contract period of seven years, as established by the Fair Trade Commission, expired in 2021.
In June, Joy voiced her frustration with SM Entertainment, noting that while other artists were getting comeback articles, Red Velvet had not received much coverage. She also pointed out that Red Velvet is the only SM group without a Japanese fan club.
SM Entertainment has responded to reports about Red Velvet's Joy's contract status. In a brief statement to media outlet Xportnews, they confirmed that discussions regarding her contract renewal are still ongoing.
As a singer, Joy’s voice has been praised by numerous producers and musicians, including composer Hwang Hyun, singer-songwriter You Hee Yeol, and producer Ma Joo Hee. In 2020, she made history as the first SM female artist without a solo debut to receive a Bonsang (Main Prize) nomination. The following year, she became the first SM female soloist to be nominated for the Album of the Year Daesang (Grand Prize) at the Melon Music Awards.
Joy was the only member of Red Velvet who wasn’t introduced as part of SM Rookies, the pre-debut training team created by SM Entertainment. The group debuted in August 2014 with the digital single Happiness. Throughout their promotions, they established themselves as one of South Korea's most powerful celebrities, earning recognition from Forbes Korea Power Celebrity in 2018 and 2019. They also gained global popularity, with Billboard recognizing them as one of the most popular K-pop groups worldwide.
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