On November 27th KST, Amuse Entertainment released a statement on CROSS GENE’s Japanese website. It revealed that main vocalist Seyoung has decided not to renew his contract with the company and that he will be graduating from the group after seven years.
According to the post, it was after much discussion between the members and staff that the decision was made to respect Seyoung’s strong desire to begin the next chapter of his career.
The singer posted a handwritten letter on Instagram to address fans about the departure, translating the contents into both Japanese and English. He thanked fans for their support over the past seven years and revealed plans to continue creating his own music.
Seyoung has showcased his lyrical and composition skills through his solo music while also displaying undeniable vocal talent during his time in CROSS GENE.
He made his offical solo debut earlier this year with “Ego” which he participated in writing, composing, and arranging. He created the track as COiBLEN, his production alias and the name of his YouTube channel where he posts a variety of cover songs.
CROSS GENE debuted in 2012 while Seyoung was officially introduced into the group in January 2013. He replaced original member J.G. who returned to China in order to be with his family after the death of his older sister.
Seyoung’s departure follows similar news of rapper Sangmin and youngest member Yongseok leaving Amuse Entertainment (but not the group) in December 2019.
Currently, CROSS GENE’s activities have been “temporarily suspended” until everyone returns from the military. The group’s future will then be discussed with the members. Amuse Entertainment revealed in their December 2019 statement that they still have hopes for the group to proceed.
We wish Seyoung all the best in whatever direction he takes next with his career!
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Justin has been a K-pop fan for many years, developing a passion for shining a spotlight on underrated and lesser known groups. A professional procrastinator who is currently spending his post-lockdown time trying to figure out how to return to normal face-to-face interactions with other humans, while emotionally relating to the lives of fictional ones.
MEDIA: Amuse Entertainment