The representative genius musician siblings of South Korea, AKMU (Lee Chan-hyuk, Lee Su-hyun), have bid a beautiful farewell to YG Entertainment, where they have been for 12 years, and are now at a new starting line.
As their exclusive contract is set to expire at the end of this month, AKMU has decided to become independent from their long-time manager and continue their own path. On the 27th, at the wedding of their manager held in a location in Gyeongnam, Lee Chan-hyuk and Lee Su-hyun attended together, showcasing their strong bond by performing a congratulatory stage. YG's CEO Yang Min-seok also attended the event as a guest to celebrate AKMU's new beginning.
AKMU's relationship with YG began after winning the SBS audition program K-Pop Star Season 2 in 2012 and settling at YG. Over the past 12 years, they have produced numerous hit songs and have been active as representative artists of YG, making their independence a significant topic of interest in the entertainment industry.
According to YG Entertainment, this decision was made after deep trust and discussions between Chief Producer Yang Hyun-suk and the members of AKMU. About six months ago, Chief Producer Yang visited the members' homes for dinner, encouraging them that a challenge in a new environment would be a good experience, and promised to support their independence.
The members of AKMU also did not forget their affection as part of the YG family until the end. Lee Chan-hyuk and Lee Su-hyun reportedly delivered heartfelt handwritten letters to Chief Producer Yang, who helped them grow, and expressed their gratitude with a deep bow. They left a warm farewell message, saying they would come running whenever called.
YG stated that even if AKMU embarks on new challenges, the fact that they are family remains unchanged, and they plan to actively support them whenever needed. As AKMU leaves the embrace of a large agency and ventures into the wild with familiar staff, the public's expectations are focused on what unique musical world they will unfold in the future.
