▲ Jeongyeon of girl group TWICE (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Yonhap) -- Jeongyeon, a member of K-pop girl group TWICE, has left her longtime agency, JYP Entertainment, and signed with a star agency that represents her older sister, actor Gong Seung-yeon, the company said Monday.

Jeongyeon, whose real name is Yoo Jeong-yeon, has signed an exclusive contract with Varo Entertainment after 11 years with JYP, where she debuted as a member of TWICE in 2015.

"We are truly delighted to form a valuable relationship with Yoo Jeong-yeon, who possesses a diverse range of charms and infinite potential," Varo said in a statement.

Jeongyeon plans to begin pursuing her acting career under the agency while continuing her activities with TWICE, one of the leading girl groups in the K-pop industry.

In a message posted on social media, she said she had been afraid to leave a familiar environment but found the courage to do so thanks to her fellow members and the group's fans, known as Once.

"Although I am moving to a new home and beginning a new challenge, I will continue to protect TWICE, which is at the very heart of who I am," she said. "Standing before Once as a member of TWICE will always be my first priority," she added.

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