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SHINee's Taemin has confirmed his departure from SM Entertainment through the fan community app Bubble. Following reports of the singer leaving his longtime management company, he took to the app to speak directly to his fans about his decision to not continue with SM Entertainment. As shared and translated by @shineebble on X, Taemin wrote,
“The sudden news was surprising, right? To be honest I wanted to tell you myself cause I didn’t want you to worry about unnecessary things but it came out before I could. I’ve been giving this a lot of thought since last year so I talked it through with the members and the company.”
The SHINee maknae then expressed his gratitude towards the people who have been supporting him throughout his career, especially his fans. He wrote,
“I’m really thankful for the people who’ve been there for me. Thank you for believing in me and supporting my decision.”
Fans extensively support his decision as they believe SM Entertainment did not promote him enough and that he deserved a better agency.
Fans react as SHINee's Taemin shares heartfelt message of leaving SM Entertainment
Previously, news outlets reported that Taemin was parting ways with SM Entertainment, the agency he debuted with as a member of the K-pop boy group SHINee. The agency shared a statement about the reports, saying,
“Our exclusive contract with Taemin ends in March, and nothing has been confirmed about after his contract ends. We heard he is considering things from various angles.”
As the reports started swirling on social media, the SHINee maknae took to Bubble to confirm the news himself. He wrote a heartfelt message to fans, informing them about his decision. Reassuring fans about his plans, he wrote,
“I’m being careful because of how fresh this is but I don’t think it’s polite to stay silent when it comes to people who love and care for me. I believe there will be even better things in-store for the future. Please continue to look after me as a member of SHINee and as Taemin.”
SHINee fans have accused SM Entertainment of not treating the artist well and of not properly promoting his solo activities. Many also accused the agency of leaking reports about his decision even before he announced it. They have shared their opinions on social media, wishing the singer well in the future. Here are some reactions:
According to Newsen, the agency confirmed that other members, Key and Minho, are positively discussing their contracts. Meanwhile, ONEW is exploring as he leaves himself open to various opportunities.
