EXO's Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin Submit Contract Termination Notices... SM Alleges “Illegal Actions by External Forces”

SM Entertainment (hereinafter referred to as SM) has expressed its position regarding the exclusive contract dispute with the members of the group EXO, EXO-CBX(Chen, Baekhyun, Xiumin).

On the 1st, SM stated, "During a period when our company is concentrating on preparing for a new leap, we have identified external forces that approach our artists, conveying false information and incorrect legal assessments, and making unreasonable proposals that they can ignore their exclusive contracts with our company and sign contracts with them." It is revealed that external forces have been involved in creating discord between EXO-CBX and SM.

In relation to this, SM stated, "These acts involve inducing our artists to violate their valid exclusive contracts with our company and engage in breach of contract or double-contracting by using euphemisms, defamation, and seduction, despite having no genuine concern for the artists." SM argued that these external forces not only induce their artists to violate valid exclusive contracts with the company but also attempt to induce other artists under the company's management to violate their exclusive contracts or engage in double-contracting.

SM further emphasized that "These attempts by external forces are clear illegal acts, and they are also concealing their intentions to incite conflicts between the company and the artists, as well as within the artists themselves, in order to disrupt the existing team." SM stated that they will not overlook the actions of those who pursue their greed for money without any interest in the essential matters such as the artist's future and legitimate legal rights, and they will take all possible legal measures.

Earlier on the same day, Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen from EXO announced through their legal representative, attorney Lee Jae-hak of the law firm LIN, that they have notified SM of the termination of their exclusive contracts. The three artists claimed, "We have sent notices of content certification to SM seven times, but they have not provided accounting data. Furthermore, SM has coerced us into entering long-term contracts exceeding 12-13 years, resembling slave contracts."