๐ Contents
- ⚡ A Dispute Still Far from Over
- ๐ Timeline of Negotiations
- ๐ฃ INB100’s Official Statement
- ๐งพ SM Entertainment’s Response
- ๐ฌ Fans Divided Amid Hopes for Reunion
- ๐ข Tags
⚡ A Dispute Still Far from Over
The long-standing dispute between SM Entertainment (SM) and EXO’s Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin — collectively known as ChenBaekXi (CBX) — continues to draw public attention as both sides released new official statements this week. Despite previous negotiations suggesting reconciliation, tensions have resurfaced as both camps provide conflicting accounts of the ongoing settlement process.
๐ Timeline of Negotiations
According to CBX’s agency INB100, discussions with SM had made “substantial progress” earlier this year:
- July 9, 2025: First meeting confirming intent to reach an agreement for EXO’s full-group activities.
- September 10, 2025: Both sides shared draft agreements and entered a detailed negotiation phase.
- October 2, 2025: CBX claims to have accepted all conditions set forth by SM to ensure EXO’s end-of-year comeback.
However, INB100 stated that they were “blindsided” when SM announced an upcoming EXO fan meeting and album release excluding the three members.
๐ฃ INB100’s Official Statement
INB100 expressed regret for the confusion caused by the delay in communication, clarifying that CBX had cleared their December schedules in preparation for full-group activities and was “waiting for SM’s final confirmation.”
“Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin have always valued the fans’ sincerity above all else. They genuinely wished for an EXO reunion, which is why they pursued an agreement rather than confrontation,” the agency stated. “We aim to finalize terms for full-group promotions as soon as possible and promise to deliver positive results.”
๐งพ SM Entertainment’s Response
SM Entertainment countered with a sharply worded statement, asserting that the two matters — legal settlement and team activities — must be viewed separately. The company emphasized that CBX has yet to fulfill financial obligations specified in a June 18, 2023 agreement, which required them to remit 10% of individual activity revenue to SM.
SM also disputed INB100’s account of accepting all conditions, revealing that CBX had filed an objection on October 16 instead of proceeding with the agreement.
“Their announcement today distorts the facts,” SM stated. “While we have consistently prevailed in all previous disputes, it is necessary for CBX to first honor the existing agreement and make sincere efforts to restore trust before discussing team participation.”
Despite the friction, SM reaffirmed that it will “do its utmost to support EXO’s upcoming activities beginning in December.”
๐ฌ Fans Divided Amid Hopes for Reunion
The latest developments have once again divided the EXO-L fandom. While some fans express disappointment over the drawn-out conflict, others remain hopeful that both sides will eventually reconcile for the sake of EXO’s complete reunion — especially as EXO prepares for its upcoming fan meeting and 8th full-length album release.
With CBX maintaining their desire to participate and SM emphasizing adherence to prior agreements, the industry continues to watch closely how one of K-pop’s most influential groups navigates this complex chapter.
๐ข Tags
#EXO #์ฒธ๋ฐฑ์ #ChenBaekXi #Baekhyun #Chen #Xiumin #SMEntertainment #INB100 #์์๋ถ์ #KpopLegal #KpopNews #EXO2025 #SMvsCBX #KpopIndustry #EntertainmentLaw
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