SECRET NUMBER’s Members Announce Departure Following Contract Expiration with Vine Entertainment
In a significant development for fans of the K-pop girl group SECRET NUMBER, members Dita, Jinny, and Minji shared their decision to part ways with the group on April 4, 2023. This announcement followed the earlier exit of member Léa on April 3, all stemming from the expiration of their contracts with Vine Entertainment. The agency opted not to renew the contracts, leading to the end of official group activities for SECRET NUMBER.
In their official statement, the members expressed their thoughts, stating:
“After much deliberation, we have expressed our intention to terminate our exclusive contracts with Vine Entertainment. As the agency has also decided not to maintain the contracts any further, we would like to inform you that our contract with Vine Entertainment has been officially terminated, and therefore, official activities as SECRET NUMBER have now come to an end.”
They continued, recognizing the hard work they put into their careers but acknowledging the difficulties in moving forward:
“We’ve always gave our very best, but despite numerous discussions, we ultimately came to a conclusion that under the current situation, it would be extremely difficult for us to move forward.”
With the departures of Léa, Dita, Jinny, and Minji, Soodam and Zuu remain the only active members of the group. The announcement has left fans and netizens disturbed, questioning the direction of the group and expressing disappointment over the potential loss of talent within SECRET NUMBER, which many feel had considerable promise.
Fan Reactions and Industry Criticism
The response from the fan community has been one of frustration towards Vine Entertainment, with many criticizing the agency for failing to provide adequate opportunities for the group:
“To be honest, the reason most K-pop groups disband is the company. Secret Number had potential to become big in their debut days. But Vine, their company did them dirty,”remarked a user on X.
“Secretnumber will always be my Roman empire; they had so much potential,”declared another fan.
“I mean with the way Vine was moving with Secret Number, it really doesn’t surprise me… 14 songs, all single albums, and you debuted in 2020. Vine ruined what could’ve been a very well-rounded group,”a commenter noted.
“Ykw good for them; at least they don’t have to deal with Vine anymore. Let’s all move tf out,”stated another netizen.
As the discussions regarding the departures intensified, it became evident that many fans had anticipated such outcomes for some time:
“As a pre-debut Lockey, it’s still so disappointing to see how Vine treated this group that had so much potential… wish the best for all the girls with their futures,”voiced a fan.
“I knew ever since last year that disbandment was coming; now that it’s practically official, it hurts,”lamented another user.
“Not surprising that the company completely wasted them,”was another response circulating online.
Details on Contract Expiration and Group Dynamics
On April 3, Vine Entertainment confirmed the departure of Léa, stating:
“The exclusive contract period of Léa, who has showcased her shining talents as a member of SECRET NUMBER, has ended as of April 2, 2025. First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude to Léa for her hard work and dedication to the fans. While her activities with SECRET NUMBER have come to an end, we will continue to sincerely support Léa’s bright future.”
After the announcement regarding Léa, the remaining members followed suit just a day later, indicating that although parting ways was a challenging decision, it ultimately served their best interests. They conveyed their heartfelt appreciation for their time with SECRET NUMBER as they said goodbye.
SECRET NUMBER debuted on May 19, 2020, with the single album Who Dis?, featuring an initial lineup of Léa, Dita, Jinny, Soodam, and Denise. In October 2021, Zuu and Minji joined the group, while Denise later announced her departure on February 5, 2022. Their final comeback as a group was with the single album Starlight, released on August 16, 2023.
As the group navigates this transitional period, fans eagerly hope for positive outcomes for all members as they pursue new endeavors.