Joy’s Future in Question: Is Red Velvet’s Star Leaving SM Entertainment?

Joy from Red Velvet is reportedly preparing to leave SM Entertainment after her contract expires. After two years of training, she received the stage name Joy from her vocal coach and officially joined Red Velvet as the fourth member on July 29, 2014.

Exploring New Opportunities

According to an exclusive report from Star News, Joy is looking for new opportunities and has been meeting with agencies that specialize in actor management. SM Entertainment had only announced the re-signing of Red Velvet last year. Currently, they have confirmed contract renewals for members Seulgi (August 2023) and Irene (February 2024), but there has been no announcement about Joy, Yeri, or Wendy.

Contract Variations and Concerns

The members of Red Velvet joined SM Entertainment at different times, resulting in varying contract end dates. Since Red Velvet debuted in August 2014, it is believed they unofficially renewed their contracts after the maximum exclusive contract period of seven years, as set by the Fair Trade Commission, ended in 2021.

In June, Joy expressed her frustration with SM Entertainment, stating that while other artists were receiving media coverage, Red Velvet had not been featured much. She also pointed out that Red Velvet is the only SM group without a Japanese fan club.

SM Entertainment's Response

In response to reports about Joy's contract status, SM Entertainment provided a brief statement to Xportnews, confirming that discussions regarding her contract renewal are ongoing.

Joy has receivedp raise from various producers and musicians, including composer Hwang Hyun and singer-songwriter You Hee Yeol. In 2020, she made history as the first female artist from SM without a solo debut to receive a Bonsang nomination. The following year, she became the first SM female soloist nominated for the Album of the Year Daesang at the Melon Music Awards.

Joy was also the only member of Red Velvet not introduced as part of SM Rookies, the pre-debut training team. The group debuted with the digital single "Happiness" in August 2014 and has since established themselves as one of South Korea's most powerful celebrity groups, earning recognition from Forbes Korea Power Celebrity in 2018 and 2019. They have gained global popularity, with Billboard acknowledging them as one of the most popular K-pop groups worldwide.