AKMU finally revealed why they parted ways with YG Entertainment after years together — not a betrayal, but timing and creative independence.
Appearing on YouTuber-turned-broadcaster Chimchakman’s channel on April 13, AKMU shared recent updates and spoke candidly about going independent. When asked, "Why did you leave your agency and start your own company?" Lee Chan-hyuk answered briefly, "It was time." When a playful follow-up asked, "So was it a betrayal?", Lee pulled an awkward face and laughed, saying, "That wording..."
Mentioning that they had once renewed their contract, Lee stressed, "We learned so much at YG." Still, as time passed, their music-making process and direction naturally changed. "As the scope of my producing grew, my musical color became clearer," he explained. "As the details I wanted increased, there came a point where the company’s direction and my music split."
"Both the company and I knew it. With that mutual understanding, we felt, 'We can do well on our own now'," he said. Lee also drew a clear line: "YG supported us, too. It’s the exact opposite of 'betrayal'."
After leaving YG, AKMU launched their independent label Fountain of Inspiration and began a new chapter. Recently, they returned to the public eye with their fourth full-length album, 'Blooming'.