K-Pop Boy Band GOT7 Reveals Reason For Leaving JYP Entertainment: ‘JYP’s Way Was Different’

A year after they left JYP Entertainment, GOT7 members got candid about the reason why they left the leading music studio at the height of their careers.

The group’s contract expired in January 2021. But instead of renewing their contracts with JYP Entertainment, GOT7 members collectively decided that it was time to try new routes in expressing themselves as artists.

“The offer wasn’t bad, but our way and JYP’s way, it was just different. The way they looked at our solo promotions was different.” group leader Jay B told GQ Australia in an article published Tuesday. “I understand because JYP is a big company but, for me, I wanted more of a role in my work. I’m not trying to be a superstar, I just wanted to be me.”

The seven-piece K-pop act debuted in January 2014 with the hip-hop track “Girls, Girls, Girls” which they followed up with the electronic bubble gum pop hit, "Just Right." The said tracks catapulted the group into one of the most active and most popular boy bands in South Korea. Fast forward to 2021, the group surprised their fans by opting to leave JYP Entertainment and become an independent idol group.

But GOT7 insists there is no bad blood between them and the music studio. Jay B even emphasized that JYP Entertainment was good at managing its artists.

“JYP wasn’t a place that was very confined. We had breaks and when we took a rest, we could rest properly. We were given space,” he told the outlet.

Youngjae said the members of the group get along better now even though each is busy pursuing solo endeavors. “Everyone here is the main character of their own life and story. The members are all people who could have shone a lot brighter but we just didn’t have that opportunity. When performing as soloists, they do.”

When they left JYP Entertainment, its founder J.Y. Park allowed the full trademark rights to be transferred to the group. GOT7 was the first boy band to ever achieve the feat which allowed them to avoid legal battles that mired older generation boy bands like Shinhwa and BEAST.