Girls Generation leader Kim Taeyeon left cryptic answers on her social media account relating to questions about whether she will renew her contract with SM Entertainment once it expires.
As the end of her contract with SM Entertainment looms, fans have been curious about whether the singer-actress will remain with the agency, which has been her home for over a decade since making her debut with Girls Generation in 2007. Through Instagram stories, Tae-yeon interacted with fans and answered some of their questions, which led to even more speculations.
One fan asked Taeyeon to stay with SM Entertainment, while another suggested that she leave the company, Allkpop reported. In response to these two, the K-Pop star simply wrote, "Why."
It remains unclear what Taeyeon's move will be after her contract with SM Entertainment ends, but many fans believe that she will choose to stay with the company.
In June this year, it was heavily rumored that Tae-yeon, who is the lead vocalist of Girls Generation, wants to leave the company and ultimately retire from the entertainment industry. In one of her "Ask Me Anything" sessions in Instagram, Taeyeon opened up about her mental health problems, saying she was "suffering from depression" and "working hard by receiving treatment to get better," Toggle reported.
Girls Generation, one of the forerunners of the global Hallyu Wave, has seen some of its members leave SM Entertainment. In October 2017, the agency announced that Tiffany, Seohyun, and Sooyoung have decided not to renew their contracts in order to pursue solo ventures, Billboard reported. Seohyun and Sooyoung were planning to focus more on acting. Tiffany, on the other hand, wanted to return to California to pursue her studies.
At that time, only Taeyeon, YoonA, Hyoyeon, and Yuri re-signed with SM Entertainment.
Despite no longer being under the same agency, a representative of the company told Yonhap News that the members have no intention of disbanding.
Former member Jessica Jung left the group and the agency in 2014.
Since exiting the company, Tiffany and Seohyun released solo albums under their respective agencies. Sooyoung and Seohyun also appeared in various Korean television shows, with Seohyun becoming a more prominent figure in musical productions.
Jessica, on the other hand, focused more on fashion and her developing her own clothing brand. She was recently spotted at this year's Paris Fashion Week.
Meanwhile, Taeyeon is set to make a solo comeback this October and with a new album underway.
