The group EXO has hinted at the start of a new world, while conflict continues between SM Entertainment and EXO-CBX (Baekhyun, Xiumin, Chen). EXO-CBX expressed their intention to participate in EXO activities, but SM says one provision of the agreement has not been fulfilled.
EXO officially announced the team's new beginning starting with a year-end fan meeting held on the 27th and continuing through next year's album activities. However, they suffered from disputes, and members whose agencies changed — Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen — did not participate.
According to SM Entertainment, EXO will hold the fan meeting 'EXO'verse' at Inspire Arena in Jung-gu, Incheon on Dec. 13 and 14, and plans to release their eighth full-length album in the first quarter of next year and continue various activities. Also, Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun and Lay will participate in the fan meeting and the new album.
Especially at this fan meeting, EXO plans to revisit past memories with EXO-L (the official fan club) through hit-stage performances including the winter song 'First Snow' and at the same time premiere performances of new songs included on the new record, raising expectations.
But ahead of EXO's comeback, the nonparticipation of EXO-CBX members and renewed conflict with SM have resurfaced, adding to the confusion. EXO-CBX's agency INB100 said in an official statement on the 29th, "Our company and EXO-CBX promised fans full-group activities as members of EXO and have made every effort to that end," adding, "On July 9, 2025, we met with SM and confirmed the first agreement in principle. We confirmed the direction and will of the agreement for full-group EXO activities."
According to EXO-CBX, they mutually shared a detailed agreement with SM on Sept. 10 and entered a substantive consultation phase, and after the second mediation date (Oct. 2) EXO-CBX accepted all conditions proposed by SM and clearly conveyed their intention to agree for a year-end full-group EXO comeback. To that end, they said they had cleared all personal schedules in December and were waiting for SM's final response.
However, EXO-CBX said, "While making these efforts, we learned about the notice of a fan meeting and full-length album release for EXO excluding EXO-CBX," and added, "The members valued the sincere support of fans who have been with them for a long time above all else, and because they earnestly wished for full-group EXO activities, they chose the path of agreement. Accordingly, we plan to produce an agreement for full-group activities as soon as possible."
Soon SM expressed regret over EXO-CBX's announcement. SM also released a statement that day saying, "Regarding the settlement of disputes, our company has prevailed in all disputes so far, and the only thing we asked of the three members was to pay 10% of individual activity revenues as specified in the existing agreement dated June 18, 2023. However, this has not yet been fulfilled."
It went on, "Furthermore, participation in team activities after excessive multiple disputes has greatly eroded trust between the parties and caused considerable damage to the team called EXO and wounds to fans and members, so it is proper that the existing agreement be fulfilled and that the three members' sincere efforts to restore trust come first," adding, "However, contrary to the three members' claim that they accepted all the conditions we presented after the Oct. 2 second mediation date and clearly conveyed their intention to agree, they filed an objection first on the 16th. We cannot help but express great regret at today's announcement by the three members, which distorted these circumstances."
SM said, "We have made clear to the three members that agreement on dispute resolution and team activities are separate issues," and added, "We will do our best to support and work for EXO activities starting in December."
[Photo] OSEN DB.
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