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ASTRO’s Cha Eun-woo will continue his journey with Fantagio, his debut label, along with members Moonbin, Sanha, and Jinjin.
As per MyDaily, on December 30, 2022, Fantagio released a statement confirming reports of the four members renewing their contracts. As for the two remaining members, Rocky’s contract is still undergoing discussions, while MJ’s decision will only be discussed once he is discharged.
ASTRO debuted in 2016 under Fantagio with the single Hide & Seek from the album Spring Up. They gradually rose to fame and were recognized by Billboard as one of the best new K-pop groups in 2016.
Fantagio confirms Cha Eun-woo and three other ASTRO members' contract renewal, fans react
AROHAs, ASTRO’s fandom, were in for some surprising news on December 30, 2022, when the agency informed them about the members’ contracts. In the K-pop industry, idols and companies are tied to each other with contracts that generally last for seven years. Dubbed as "the seven-year curse," an idol group’s seventh year is a defining moment in their career that either makes or breaks them.
For ASTRO, four members have decided to stay with Fantagio. They are Cha Eun-woo, Moonbin, Sanha, and Jinjin. Moonbin and Sanha debuted in 2020 as the group’s first official sub-unit. The duo also recently announced their comeback for January 4, 2023, so their contract renewal did not come as much of a surprise.
Idol-actor Cha Eun-woo, arguably the most popular member, also decided to stay with the company he made his debut with. Take a look at how fans reacted to the news below:
Meanwhile, ASTRO member Rocky is still in discussions regarding his contract. There’s not any update on the eldest member MJ’s contract renewal either since he is currently serving his military duty. He enlisted on May 9, 2022, and is expected to be discharged sometime in November next year. MJ's contract renewal will be discussed when he returns.
Recent updates of ASTRO
Cha Eun-woo’s solo endeavors are getting bigger and better with every passing year. Reports of him debuting in Hollywood have recently made the rounds and excited eager fans. Meanwhile, the idol-actor also has a thrilling drama titled Island scheduled for release today, December 30. He has also launched his own YouTube channel.
Meanwhile, Rocky found himself in a bit of trouble when rumors about his relationship with actress Park Bo-yeon went viral. Although Fantagio confirmed it, the actress’ agency denied that the duo were together.
In other news, December 30, 2022, has become a day for bombshell contract renewal updates from the K-pop industry. YG Entertainment (YGE) recently announced all six iKON members' departure, after three BIGBANG members left the agency recently. Actor Kang Dong-won was also among the artists who decided not to renew his contract.
Meanwhile, Kpop Herald reported that BLACKPINK is leaving YGE in favor of THE BLACK LABEL, YGE’s subsidiary founded by company’s main producer, Teddy Park.
Another surprising reveal came with the company teasing their new girl group with a poster with the words, “Next Movement.” The first look of YGE’s rookie group will be released on January 1, at midnight KST.
