In this article, Channel-Korea will be providing you all the information you need to know regarding INFINITE’s future plans and his career after he left Woolim. So, stay tuned!
INFINITE’S L Leaves Woollim Entertainment
L decided to leave his agency, Woollim Entertainment, after his contract ended. This was conveyed by him through an upload on Instagram, on August 19, 2019. “It is hard for me to share the news for INSPIRIT [INFINITE fans] who always give me love,” he wrote on the @kim_msl account.
As translated by Soompi: Hello, this is Kim Myung-soo, L. I want to bow my head in apology for greeting you for the first time in a while with this unfortunate news, and I want to express gratitude for always giving me warm support. My heart feels heavy at the thought that this news that I am going to share might be hurtful to INSPIRIT, who have always given me generous love. With last week as end, my contract with Woollim has expired. I made a difficult decision after a lot of thought. After long deliberation, I decided to stand on my own. I felt that I need a new challenge in my life, and I am now going to start the new challenge. While being in Woollim for a long period of 10 years since my trainee days through my debut until now, I felt and learned a lot as I grew up. I think time passes very quickly. All moments spent together with INSPIRIT after debuting as INFINITE have been happy times. Our INFINITE members who I have spent all of those times together with, all of those times were happy because of the members. I want to once again express my gratitude and our promise that we will always be together. It is difficult to describe in words how much strength the INFINITE members and INSPIRIT have given me since our debut until now. Although we may be together in somewhat different forms and ways than before, there is no change in the trust that we will support each other and be together. Also, head Lee Jung Yeop, vice president Lee Ji Young, and all Woollim family who have allowed me to have unforgettable and valuable times and happiness, as much as you have supported me, I will work hard with a grateful heart to greet you after improving further. In addition, I can continue with the INFINITE members, and I am going to do my best to be with the members at any place when I am needed. Again and again, I sincerely thank INSPIRIT, who have believed in me and given me warm and great love. I will work my hardest to greet you soon with greater improvement. Thank you for reading this long letter until the end. From Kim Myung-soo. In his upload, L stated that his contract with Woollim Entertainment had ended the previous week. The decision to leave the agency has been through lengthy considerations. Aside from being a singer, L is also known to the public as an actor, especially in dramas. Most recently, he collided with Shin Hye-sun’s acting on Angel’s Last Mission: Love, which aired on KBS2 in May-June 2019. L did not explicitly mention the reason for him leaving Woollim Entertainment is to focus on acting, he only wrote that he wanted to find new challenges. “I decided to stand alone. I feel I need a new challenge in life and now I will start the new challenge,” he admitted. Woollim Entertainment confirmed the news. The agency, which also houses the girl-group Lovelyz, said that L’s contract with Woollim Entertainment was not renewed. “Our exclusive contract with the INFINITE member, L, who have been together for nine years ended August 18, 2019. Before the end of the contract, we have discussed with L, the decision [contract] is not renewed,” said the agency representative. L became the second INFINITE member to leave Woollim Entertainment, after Hoya. Hoya decided to leave on August 30, 2017, due to a similar situation. Regarding INFINITE’s future after L’s departure, the agency explained that the remaining member will continue to carry out their activities as usual. The disbandment of INFINITE is not considered at all. “Regarding INFINITE in the future, it will be decided after discussions in the future, because currently there are members who are still in the military,” concluded Woollim Entertainment.
INFINITE’S Current Formation and Schedule
The agency of INFINITE, Woollim Entertainment, opened up following L’s decision not to renew his contract. The agency confirmed the news, as well as revealed the fate of INFINITE in the future. According to them, even though L, whose real name is Kim Myung-soo, will no longer be part of Woollim, INFINITE will continue with a permanent formation. The agency then emphasized, “Because the members have a strong determination about group activities, the disbandment of INFINITE is not considered at all.” They explained that the direction of INFINITE’s activities in the future would be determined after discussion with the complete members. At present, several INFINITE members are known to be undergoing their mandatory military service. In addition, Woollim also stated that he would continue to support L’s steps, despite the idol leaving the agency. L said he had learned a lot since his trainee days ten years ago, and made his debut to date. He revealed that the moments spent with INSPIRIT after debuting as INFINITE were happy times. L also ensured that after leaving the agency, nothing would change from him, including his involvement with the boy-band which raised his name. “Although we may be together in a somewhat different form than before, there is no change in the belief that we will support each other and be together. Besides, I can continue with INFINITE members, and I will do my best to be with the members on the spot wherever when I am needed,” he explained.
INFINITE Members’ Military Service
As you may already know, the frontman and lead singer of INFINITE, Sunggyu, enlisted in the military service on May 14, 2018. According to the Xports News report, Sunggyu was seen entering the 22nd Infantry Division recruitment training center at 13.15 local time. The man from Jeonju expressed his desire to enter the gate calmly, so he did not stop at all for any interviews. However, Sunggyu took the time to greet the fans who had been waiting for him, while waving and saying, “Thank you.” Sunggyu got five weeks of basic military training, then continued his service as an active soldier for about 20 months. He is scheduled to finish the military service on February 13, 2020. Nam Woo-hyun also started his compulsory military service on October 24, 2019. Woollim Entertainment, as INFINITE’s agency, confirmed this, and said Woohyun will join the Nonsan New Recruitment Training Center in South Chungcheong Province. As reported via Naver, Nam Woo-hyun will fulfill his mandatory military service period as a public service worker after completing basic training. Woohyun’s position, as well as placement, was decided due to a shoulder injury he suffered, which made him not meet the requirements for service as an active soldier. Woollim Entertainment said that Woohyun asked the agency not to give out the official schedule of conscription, including to fans. Nevertheless, Woohyun himself ‘told’ fans when holding a solo fan meeting on October 19th, 2019. Nam Woo-hyun is the last member of INFINITE to undergo military service. Other members, namely Sunggyu, Dongwoo, Sungyeol, and Sungjong had already started. If idols are usually ‘escorted’ by fans to the military base where they serve, most INFINITE members prefer to go in secretly, as Woohyun and Sungyeol did in March 2019. The move was also followed by Dongwoo in April 2019, and Sungjong on July 22, 2019. Meanwhile, the leader and the first one to serve in the military, Sunggyu, had a chance to say goodbye to the fans shortly before conscription. Sunggyu, Dongwoo, Sungyeol, and Sungjong are scheduled to come out in 2020.
