EXO's leader Suho opens up about the EXO-CBX controversy
EXO’s leader Suho has shared his feelings regarding the EXO-CBX situation, expressing his disappointment and hope for a smooth resolution for the fans.
On the 14th, Suho met with TenAsia at the SM Entertainment headquarters in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, where he shared various stories about MBN’s ‘Missing Crown Prince’
‘Missing Crown Prince’ is a Joseon-era romantic comedy depicting the story of Crown Prince Lee Geon (played by Suho) whose life is turned upside down when he is kidnapped by Choi Myung-yoon (played by Hong Ye-ji) on her way to become the crown princess. The show started with a viewership rating of 1.5% (according to Nielsen Korea), and its popularity grew, reaching over 4% from the 16th episode. The final episode, aired on the 16th, achieved a peak viewership rating of 5.6% and a nationwide rating of 5.1%, marking four consecutive episodes of record ratings and concluding on a high note.
Regarding the EXO-CBX situation, Suho said, “I actually learned about the situation through the news. I was shocked and very upset. Above all, I was worried about the fans. Last year, our fans went through a similar situation. I remember how heartbroken and upset they were. With this happening again, I am also feeling uneasy, and I can tell that the fans are not feeling good about it.”
As the leader of EXO, he expressed his regret, “I want to take this opportunity to apologize to the fans for such an incident happening,” showing his deep affection for the fans. He added, “We were preparing a winter album. With Sehun and Kai expected to be discharged from the military next year, we were gradually making plans with SM Entertainment.”
On the 10th, EXO-CBX (Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin) raised complaints against SM Entertainment after establishing their independent label, INB100, and focusing on individual activities.
EXO-CBX held an urgent press conference, accusing SM of unfair treatment. They claimed, “SM promised to lower the distribution fee to 5.5% for INB100 but failed to do so. SM is demanding 10% of the revenue from personal activities such as albums, concerts, and advertisements, which is unfair.”
In response, SM stated, “EXO-CBX signed an agreement to pay 10% of their individual corporation’s revenue. This 10% of corporation revenue was a standard applied by the court during EXO’s exclusive contract dispute with Chinese members. It is a reasonable precedent.”
Suho concluded, “While I believe it is our duty as EXO to repay the fans with music and to proceed without issues, it is not something I can guarantee. I am very worried.” His expression was not entirely bright. Upon hearing about the press conference, he said, “I asked EXO-CBX about what happened, but they only told me what was already reported in the articles.”
