Pop Group With Millions of Streams Breaks Up: ‘Disbandment’ of cignature Confirmed

K-pop girl group cignature is ending their four-year journey, with their management company announcing the termination of all member contracts despite recent music successes. “Hello, this is C9 Entertainment. We would like to share an important update regarding our artist cignature,” the company announced through an official fan cafe post on Dec. 3 via Soompi.

“After thorough discussions between the company and the members, it was mutually agreed that the disbandment of the group was necessary. As a result, we have terminated the exclusive contracts of all seven cignature members regardless of the remaining duration of their contracts. The group’s activities also officially concluded as of November 30, 2024.”

The company continued: “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the members of cignature, who gave their all despite numerous challenges over the years. We also sincerely apologize to the fans for delivering this sudden news. We ask for your warm support for the members as they embark on new beginnings in various fields.”

The Korean group, which debuted in February 2020 with their single “Nun Nu Nan Na” under J9 Entertainment (a C9 Entertainment subsidiary), had shown promising success throughout their career. Their lead single, “Arisong,” from their first EP, Listen and Speak, achieved an impressive milestone, accumulating 3 million music video views within 48 hours of release. The septet continued their momentum until their final release, Sweetie but Saltie, their fifth mini-album, launched on June 10.

During their active years, the group’s lineup underwent several changes. Current members Chaesol, Jeewon, Seline, Chloe, Semi, and Dohee were joined by various artists throughout their run. Original members Ye Ah and Sunn departed in 2021, while Belle secured a spot in the debuting group UNIS in January 2024, announcing a two-and-a-half-year hiatus from cignature activities.

The group’s achievements were particularly notable in their debut year, when they collected multiple prestigious awards, including New Artist of the Year for Female Group at the 2020 Melon Music Awards. Their success continued at the Mnet Asian Music Awards 2020, where they secured three major nominations: Artist of the Year, Best New Female Artist, and Worldwide Icon of the Year.

The news of disbandment was released through the group’s official fan cafe, where J9 Entertainment emphasized the mutual nature of the decision. “Despite all the obstacles they have faced up until now, we would like to thank the members once again for their best efforts,” the agency noted, adding, “We are truly sorry for bringing such sudden news to the fans who cherished the group.”

While fans expressed heartbreak over the news, many shared messages of support for the members’ future endeavors. The announcement marks the end of a relatively short but impactful run for the K-pop group, whose disbandment adds to the growing list of group departures in the industry.