Red Velvet’s Wendy and Yeri part ways with SM Entertainment

Red Velvet members Wendy and Yeri have officially ended their exclusive contracts with SM Entertainment, the agency confirmed in a statement on Friday.

“We are informing you that our exclusive contracts with Wendy and Yeri have come to an end,” the statement read.

Despite their contracts expiring, both artists will continue as active members of Red Velvet.

“The time we spent together with Wendy and Yeri, who, after debuting as Red Velvet, were not only active in group promotions but also as solo artists in various fields, was a great joy for us as well," SM Entertainment stated.

The company reassured fans that Wendy and Yeri will still be part of Red Velvet’s future activities, adding, “We ask that you look forward to Red Velvet’s shining journey that will continue to unfold.”

They also expressed gratitude for the unwavering support from fans and asked for continued encouragement as both artists embark on new chapters in their careers.

Before the official announcement, Yeri personally addressed fans through the Weverse fan platform, expressing her desire to share the news directly before it was published.

“Tomorrow morning, a piece of news concerning me and my agency will be released… I just wanted to tell you guys first rather than have you see it in an article and be surprised, so I came to you first! So, what I mean to say is, my love for you will not change!” she wrote.

Wendy debuted as a member of Red Velvet in August 2014, while Yeri joined the group in March 2015.

Both artists have established successful solo careers under SM Entertainment — Wendy with two mini-albums, Like Water (2021) and Wish You Hell (2024), and Yeri with a series of singles, including Dear Diary (2019) and collaborations with NCT and aespa’s Ningning.

Meanwhile, the remaining three Red Velvet members have renewed their contracts with SM Entertainment. Joy extended hers in January, following Seulgi’s renewal in August 2023 and Irene’s in February 2024.

Red Velvet recently made a comeback with their seventh mini-album, Cosmic, featuring the title track of the same name.

The group last performed in Manila in September 2024 for their My Dear, ReVe1uv Fancon Tour, with a concert film of the tour premiering in Philippine cinemas last February.