Girls' Generation member Sooyoung has signed with an agency that manages the career of American actor Daniel Henney.
Echo Global Group announced that Sooyoung has been added to its roster of artists that also includes Claudia Kim and Dong Hyun Bae.
"Hello, this is Echo Global Group. We, Echo Global Group, and an actor/singer Sooyoung, have come together to start a new relationship. First of all, we are very pleased to be accompanied by Sooyoung, a leading Korean artist who is a member of Girls' Generation and a talented actress who has great potential," the agency said.
Not only will Echo Global Group support Sooyoung's acting career but it is also willing to let her continue to perform as Girls' Generation member under certain conditions.
"As she is an artist who is loved domestically but also internationally, we will be actively utilizing our wide-ranged platforms to fully support all of her activities. Also, as she has been loved for a long time as a member of Girls' Generation, if the conditions for Girls' Generation's activities are allowed in the future, we will also be supporting them," it said.
Last month, it was announced that Sooyoung, Tiffany and Seohyun had decided not to renew their contracts with SM Entertainment, which manages Girls' Generation. This fueled speculations that the girl group will disband.
But SM Entertainment denied it, saying "Girls' Generation is a very precious and significant group of S.M. and its fans. We're not thinking about dismantling the group. However, since there are members whose contracts have expired, we'll decide carefully after consulting with all members regarding the future path of the team."
However, SM Entertainment has yet to issue a statement if it will allow Sooyoung to perform with Girls' Generation since she's no longer under the agency. It is very rare in the Korean entertainment industry for group members to be affiliated with different agencies.
Echo Global Group promised that "for all those who care for Sooyoung, we will use various communication channels as well as events to give back. We ask for your continued interest and love for her future activities."
