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After months of speculation, former IZ*ONE members Miyawaki Sakura and Kim Chae-won will officially be bandmates again, under HYBE's Source Music.
The duo first met in 2018, when they featured in Mnet's idol audition show Produce 48. After the show, the two debuted as members of the girl group IZ*ONE, along with ten other members.
After IZ*ONE's disbandment in 2021, Miyawaki Sakura graduated from her longtime group HKT48 and parted ways with her Japanese management agency.
On the other hand, Kim Chae-won was a former trainee under Woollim Entertainment.
Since August 2021, speculation about both the idols' plans of action have been doing rounds. On August 17, 2021, it was reported that Kim Chae-won would be joining an upcoming girl group under Source Music.
A couple of days later, industry insiders stated that Miyawaki Sakura was reportedly considering signing up with Source Music. However, neither of the reports was officially confirmed at the time.
The two have now officially signed up with HYBE's agency, Source Music.
Miyawaki Sakura and Kim Chae-won will be part of HYBE x Source Music's upcoming girl group
On March 14, a representative from Source Music officially announced the signing up, stating:
"Miyawaki Sakura and Kim Chae-won have signed exclusive contracts with the agency based on mutual trust. They will make their debut as the first girl group launched through the cooperation of HYBE and Source Music."
The agency asked fans of the two idols to continue showing support, despite a change in groups.
"Please show lots of anticipation and support for the two artists who will show new sides of themselves at Source Music, which places importance on good music and the value of content."
The welcome wagon at HYBE announced the induction of the two idols into its numbers with a sweet post. HYBE'S founder and former CEO Bang Si-hyuk shared a photo on his Instagram account with two stars, as seen below:
Chae-won announced her latest agency with an Instagram post, bidding farewell to Woolim Entertainment. The idol expressed gratitude to her fans and promised them a bright future.
Music giant HYBE, earlier known as Big Hit Entertainment, acquired Source Music in July 2019. Since then, the two agencies have worked in collaboration, with artists from both sides joining hands.
Source Music's upcoming group is expected to debut in late 2022/early 2023.
