The Morning Calm Post

Girls' Generation's Yuri has concluded her exclusive contract with SM Entertainment. In an official statement released on the afternoon of July 31, 2026, Korea time, SM announced the end of its contract with Yuri, while also saying it plans to continue working with her on Girls' Generation activities.

Girls' Generation member Yuri, whose real name is Kwon Yuri, is leaving SM Entertainment after a long partnership. According to multiple reports released around 1 p.m. on July 31, 2026, Korea time, SM Entertainment officially announced that its exclusive contract with Yuri had ended.

In its official statement, SM said that the exclusive contract between the company and Yuri had ended. The company also expressed deep gratitude to Yuri, who debuted as a member of Girls' Generation in 2007 and has continued to work across multiple fields while spending a long time with the agency. Several outlets reported that SM said it would continue to support Yuri's new beginning.

The most important part of the announcement is that it separates the end of Yuri's individual contract from group activities. SM announced the end of Yuri's exclusive contract, but also explained that it plans to continue working with her on Girls' Generation activities. This can be understood as a structure in which Yuri concludes her personal management contract as an artist under SM, while the possibility of activities as a Girls' Generation member remains open.

Yuri debuted as a singer with Girls' Generation in 2007, and later expanded her activity range as actor Kwon Yuri through dramas, films and entertainment programs. Since she has worked primarily through SM for 19 years after debut, the end of the contract carries meaning beyond a simple possible agency change. It marks a moment when a member of a group that represented a generation of K-pop is reorganizing the next stage of her individual career.

As a member of Girls' Generation, Yuri participated in major group activities including Into the New World, Gee, Genie, Oh!, The Boys, I GOT A BOY and FOREVER 1. Girls' Generation became one of the representative second-generation girl groups and left a major impact not only in Korea but also in Japan and across Asia. For that reason, a change in an individual member's contract draws attention not only as a management issue, but also as part of the question of how long-running groups operate.

As an actor, Yuri has built a filmography through dramas including Defendant, Bossam: Steal the Fate, Good Job and Parole Examiner Lee. The management environment an artist who has balanced singer and actor activities chooses after an exclusive contract ends is closely connected to the direction of future work.

Girls' Generation is already a team whose members have diverse agencies and activity areas. Some members have continued individual activities at other agencies for years, while group activities have still continued through anniversary albums and events. In 2022, the group released the 15th-anniversary album FOREVER 1 and showed full-group activities.

That history shows that Girls' Generation is difficult to explain only through the exclusive contract structure of a specific moment. Yuri's contract ending can be seen in the same context. A change in personal management may be a practical choice, while the group name and member identity can remain in a separate area. SM's statement that it plans to continue working with her on Girls' Generation activities can be interpreted as an announcement made with that distinction in mind.

What fans are likely to wonder now is which company Yuri will work with next, and how she will balance actor activities and music activities in the future. At the current stage, however, what has been confirmed is the end of the exclusive contract, SM's message of support and the plan to continue Girls' Generation activities.

The matter also shows how the operating structure of long-running K-pop groups is changing. In the early stage after debut, it was common for one company to manage both team and individual activities. As time passes, members expand into their own paths as actors, solo singers, entertainers, producers and more. For group activities to continue under those conditions, a more flexible form of cooperation is needed between agencies and members.

The end of Yuri's contract with SM marks the close of one period. But according to the official statement, activities under the name Girls' Generation remain open. What can be confirmed for now is that Yuri has ended her individual exclusive contract with SM, and that SM has said it supports her new start while planning to continue working with her on Girls' Generation activities. Her next steps are expected to be confirmed through future announcements from Yuri or related companies.

Summary Points

• Girls' Generation's Yuri has ended her exclusive contract with SM Entertainment.
• SM announced the contract ending through an official statement on the afternoon of July 31, 2026, Korea time.
• SM said it supports Yuri's new beginning and plans to continue working with her on Girls' Generation activities.
• The case is an example of why individual contracts and group activities need to be viewed separately for long-running idol groups.