4Minute announced that the members decided to split up after seven years of promoting together. The disbandment was confirmed by the group's agency, Cube Entertainment, on June 13 .
The team is composed of five members namely Kim Hyuna, Nam Ji Hyun, Heo Ga Yoon, Jeon Ji Yoon and Kwon So Hyun. As of this time, only Hyuna renewed her contract while the others are still undecided on whether to go or stay with the agency, Newsen reported.
4Minute is one of the most successful performers in Korea so many fans were shocked at their decision to split. The hashtag #4MinutePleaseStayTogether even trended on Twitter after some media outlets reported about the possible break up of the group. In addition, the group just released their seventh album "Act 7" in February, so fans did not expect that 4Minute is breaking up this soon.
"It's hard to make an official announcement about the disbandment," Cube Entertainment's spokesperson Cha Hee Jin told Yonhap News Agency. "But at this point, there will be few chances of revoking 4Minute's disbandment move."
Cha further said that the members have different career paths in mind so keeping them together would be difficult. Despite this, the spokesman pointed out that they are trying their best to make things work through discussions.
4Minute was the first girl group formed by Cube in 2009. The band's first single "Hot Issue" was a hit and more than a year after their debut, they released their first Japanese album "Diamond." Since then, the girl group actively promoted their albums in South Korea and Japan.
The team released many hit singles like "What's Your Name," "Heart to Heart," "Muzik," "Volume Up," "Whatcha Doin' Today"and "Hate." The "Act 7" album serves as the 4Minute's last promotional project as a unit.
Meanwhile, Cube Entertainment's boy group, BEAST, also recently shocked fans when member Jang Hyun Seung left the team. The band will now continue their promotion with just the five members while Jang was said to be staying with the agency but will go solo from now on.
Watch 4Minute's dance practice video for "Hate":