SHINee member Taemin has confirmed that he will be leaving SM Entertainment after 16 years at the K-pop agency.

SHINee’s Taemin recently addressed his status as an artist with SM Entertainment in a message posted on fan community app Bubble, where he confirmed that he would be “embarking on a new journey soon”, per Korea JoongAng Daily.

“I made the decision to leave the company last year,” the K-pop idol explained, adding that he has also “talked with the other members [of SHINee]” regarding his decision to leave his long-time label.

Taemin also spoke about how he had “wanted to break the news carefully to not cause any unnecessary concern”, while also thanking “everyone who has helped me so far” as well as “those who have faith in my decision and support me”.

“I believe better things are coming and I will make sure they do,” the singer added. “I ask for your continued support in the future, both as a member of SHINee and as Taemin.”

Taemin’s confirmation comes shortly after South Korean media reported that the singer would be leaving SM Entertainment this month after his current contract expires. Other reported also alleged that the SHINee member is exploring signing with Big Planet Made, though neither the signer nor the label have confirmed those reports.

Meanwhile, SHINee bandmate Onew is also reportedly set to leave SM Entertainment after his contract expires sometime this year. However, the K-pop agency recently said that “future plans remain unconfirmed” as the singer “actively consider[s] various options”.

Notably, Onew has been on hiatus since June 2023 due to “health issues”. The singer has since been absent from various group activities, including promotions for their 2023 studio album ‘Hard’, as well as their ‘SHINee World VI: Perfect Illumination’ tour.