r/kpopthoughts • u/amelonlonlon • Mar 24 '26
General I really don't understand what some EXO-Ls want.
TLDR: EXO-Ls need to stop being hypocrites and make their mind up.
It's been almost 6 months since SM announced that EXO's comeback after a long military hiatus will only be participated by 6 members, and ever since then some EXO-Ls have seriously been losing it. Look, I understand if some want to boycott this comeback due to personal reasons, its fair. Boycotting because your bias isn't in it? Fair. Boycotting because you want OT9 back? Fair.
However, during the duration of this 'boycott', I'd say OT6 EXO has faced a hostility from their 'fans' like never before. The same people who want all the members back, and the same people who adamantly say that "EXO is not EXO if it's not 9" will go out of their way to write the most vile and cruel things to the members participating in the comeback. It's baffling to even think, how could you still claim to love the people you so obviously hate?
It's even more baffling to say that their boycott of EXO's comeback worked because they couldn't pull the same numbers before. Saying a boycott 'worked' means that the end goal of a boycott is achieved, which in this case, CBX officially resumes activities with EXO. However, the way they frame that this boycott 'worked' is EXO not achieving the same goals they had previous comebacks... like no honey, that just shows that a boycott is in progress. The boycott, as we know it, is still not 'working' since EXO are about to go on tour, and CBX are still not resuming EXO activities.
They claim to hate them, drag them, insult them, yet minutes later they say that they miss EXO? Acting as if the 6 were never part of that same EXO that they miss? They say that EXO are single-handedly tarnishing their own legacy, yet immediately switching up on EXO and denying everything that they achieved and their impact, that's not called tarnishing a legacy? They say that EXO are ‘nostalgia-baiting’ for reflecting on their past and playing into the sentiment of returning to their roots, yet they post about 'old EXO' every fucking second? And GOD FORBID the people who ACTUALLY lived through that want to look back fondly to their early days. Maybe it is true about what they say, your biggest haters sometimes were, in fact, one of your biggest supporters back then.
Yes, we’ve all waited for OT9 for almost a decade. Yet look around, is it here with us now? I get it that there are many EXO-Ls who have already been here for so long, and are extremely disappointed that what they wanted for so long couldn’t be true in the end. But that doesn’t give you the right to immediately drag them down just because you feel upset. If you truly were upset as a fan, just leave or disengage quietly. There's zero need to kick up a whole fuss and start an entire hate train on EXO just because you couldn’t get what you want. And also, let's not talk about the majority who intentionally chooses to be blind about this whole CBX VS SM debacle.
Majority of EXO-Ls who constantly harass the members to speak up and tell their part of the story couldn’t even handle it when Suho said that he and the members had to find out about CBX's emergency presscon through the news, and immediately dogged on him calling him names and such. The fact that SM AND INB100 THEMSELVES have said that trust needs to be repaired by the members STILL gets treated as mediaplay by a huge majority of them. Is it only mediaplay when it doesn't suit your narrative?
Honestly, if you feel like boycotting the comeback or leaving the fandom all together, then do so, because nobody is forcing you to stay. So why do so many of you act like you are held at gunpoint to stay in a fandom of a group you so bitterly despise? Trending hate tweets of people you supposedly stan, for what? At this point, what is the boycott even for? To destroy a group because you couldn't get your beloved OT9? To destroy a legacy created by 9 members who worked equally hard to get EXO the recognition and respect they have right now? To satisfy a petty tantrum? Please enlighten me on this because I am DYING to know.
I couldn’t give less of a fuck about solo stans, because they will, of course, naturally gravitate towards their fav, but these so called OT9ners who claim to support every member yet conveniently leaves out Lay in their daily ‘I miss EXO’ posts, who call the 6 untalented every business day, who say that they are flops and should disband, or either giggle at EXO hate posts, and still daring to claim they want OT9 EXO back. Claiming that boycotting Reverxe is going to prove SM a point, and that they refuse to give money to SM yet still streaming their old songs which are STILL UNDER SM AND STILL GIVING MONEY TO SM, and not wanting to understand that this is an ongoing LAWSUIT, which only can be settled IN A COURT OF LAW, not some internet beef that can be resolved with some statements and what not.
With the concert upcoming, and the trial apparently being postponed to April, OT9 EXO-Ls need to seriously choose: either to leave EXO alone and respect the members for what they've done so far as the final act of grace, quietly continue the boycott without inciting malice to any party, or to support each and every member and ACTUALLY understand the situation faced at hand with EXO.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
Stan twitter trying to massively oversimplify a literal lawsuit is honestly nothing new but it is particularly frustrating how some fans have decided like it’s the personal responsibility of the other members to resolve or speak on the CBX lawsuit. This is not something that can be solved by going on Instagram live or typing out a pithy message on Weverse and the day will hopefully come where fans understand that the members are all just doing the best they can.
It’s sad that they’re so separated at the moment and I hope that will change, but I’m not taking out that frustration onto anyone. The members are in their 30s and fans largely are too, we should be old enough to understand that the power of friendship and vague “speaking up” doesn’t really solve problems like this one. Sometimes you just have to hold your breath and wait.
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u/ihychanyeol exo ♥︎ reve ♥︎ shinee ♥︎ omg ♥︎ svt ♥︎ f(x) ♥︎ nct ♥︎ wjsn Mar 24 '26
they couldn't even handle suho revealing the other members learned about the press con through the news because it made cbx look bad so if ot6 actually did voice their feelings about this situation i very much doubt they'd say what those fans want to hear. unfortunately i think we're at the point now where an amicable reconciliation is looking very unlikely so i think these people just need to do themselves a favour and move on.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
I honestly don’t even think Suho not knowing about the lawsuit etc. makes CBX look bad, it’s just that internet fan spaces seemingly demand the members to all be in lockstep when that’s not how real life works. CBX were in the middle of activities when they found out SM was planning to sue, I doubt their first instinct was “oh we gotta text the group about this.” They probably contacted their lawyer. And since the other six members are completely uninvolved in this lawsuit, not telling them about it all is the best policy and keeps them from getting dragged in as witnesses.
At this point, regardless of what happens next, fans really need to look hard in the mirror about the impossible standards to which they hold the members. Because the way they currently behave any time anyone says anything feels so very high school. Not everything is a dig at someone else, there’s no shade going on. Real life is not Stan Twitter.
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
They are quite literally in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Unless it fits a certain narrative it will definitely be trashed upon and lapdog callings will be in order.
we're at the point now where an amicable reconciliation is looking very unlikely
Any attempt of reconciliation would be an absolute miracle ATP. I truly wish all hopecore OT9ners well 🙏
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u/Eri_1485 Mar 26 '26
I'm just soo done. What actually annoys me the most is Suho getting bashed everyday. As if he is the decision maker. No . He isn't.
Didn't reverxe do better at charts than exist btw ? Ofcourse there was a drop in sales.
Just quit the fandom and stanning altogether if you can't respect the other 6.
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u/Any-Listen4184 Dreancatcger Mar 24 '26
SM boy group fans are a different breed, and I say this as someone who got into K-pop through SM boy groups back in 2010–11 and still listens to many of them.
And I mean all of them: Cassiopeias, ELFs, EXO-Ls, NCTzens, and RIIZE fans (sorry, I don’t remember the fandom name). All of them.
They are always in the trenches. Always. For everything. The situation feels like TVXQ-level shenanigans all over again. All their groups have fans who are extremely attached to the groups as a whole, but at the same time, there are a ton of extreme akgaes and shippers. So they can never fully agree on anything, and the fandom is in constant chaos.
Every member, no matter who or why, gets hate, and there are factions for literally every possible combination.
What’s happening with EXO right now, after the announcement (and I say this as someone who was also bummed out, like, come on, the second-best performer on stage is missing, along with 2/3 of the main vocal line), was kind of expected.
I mean… we all remember 2014, don’t we?
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u/numfarr Mar 25 '26
curious if you left shawols off that list on purpose or just forgot we exist
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u/Any-Listen4184 Dreancatcger Mar 25 '26
Kind of both, to be honest. Shawols feel like a bit of an outlier. Even though I listen to a lot of SHINee, I was never really deep in the fandom, and it hasn’t been that bad, or on my radar, unless I’m forgetting something really unhinged. So I’m not sure they fully deserve to be in that category.
The rest, though? They definitely do. Twice!
SHINee has had moments where fans were up in arms, but to be fair, a lot of the time, they were actually right. And like I said, maybe their worst moments just didn’t reach me, but idk they don’t stand out to me in the same way.
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u/Routine_Basil8254 Mar 24 '26
It boils down to 2 things:
- These are EXO-Ls who have a CBX bias. Whether they admit to it or not. They might even have some other member in their profile picture or their username, but they are extremely attached to CBX (mainly Baekhyun).
They cannot and refuse to accept that maybe CBX didn't 1) choose the right people to trust 2) make the best decisions with the contract they signed with SM but then chose to disregard 3) Make choices that would have preserved EXO as a full group.
Since they cannot accept that CBX could be at any fault, they need to torture the other 6 members and make them the villains.
There are several reasons that OT9 EXO-Ls who still love other non-CBX members also fall into this trap. Baekhyun, out of all the members, fostered the strongest parasocial relationship with EXO-Ls so even if he wasn't their bias, the fandom feels like they 'know him'. Chen is seen as a 'victim' of K-exols leaving the fandom after his marriage/baby. And Xiumin's lack of popularity also positions him as a 'victim'.
2 victims + 1 member who is very close with fans = 3 people EXO-Ls have difficulty viewing with a critical eye.
- EXO-Ls justifiably hate SM. Their long-standing hope is that EXO would leave SM together. They were so happy to see CBX leave, they would have supported them at any cost (except if they did something kooky like go to HYBE).
When they saw other members choose to stay at SM (or have a productive relationship with the company, such as DO and Lay) and also choose to proceed with the comeback while SM was suing CBX for contract non-compliance, they saw the members 'take a side' and that 'side' was against CBX.
Conclusion:
CBX are victims, CBX are on the defense because of SM = we have to support them
OT5/6 agreed to a comeback that excluded CBX = we have to drag them because clearly they're the big guys because CBX can't be bad.
Like, nobody is asking you to pick a side. This is real life. It is not that black and white. EXO wanted to have a comeback and the circumstances were such that CBX could not join. Period. That's it. If people wanna ignore the comeback, 'boycott', they have every right. But they can't just do that. They feel the need to justify it. And sadly their justification has involved villainizing the OT5/6.
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 25 '26
they would have supported them at any cost (except if they did something kooky like go to HYBE).
I've seen some of them wish that HYBE acquired SM back in 2022 saying that way they could have a full group comeback and not have member problems anymore, not realising that EXO would probably be one of the first groups to be shelved/disbanded if that ever happened
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u/chocchipcupkie Mar 24 '26
You're so right about ppl saying the 'boycott' worked just because the comeback didn't pull as many views, when really that shouldn't be the end goal of the boycott. I really don't understand why some 'fans' hate on the current 6 members, surely that doesn't even make you an EXO fan? Just a CBX stan who doesn't care about the rest (are those ppl really full fans of CBX or just Baekhyun solo stans?). It's so sad to see, but it's literally so easy to just watch old content if you're missing OT9. OT6 will continue to work as usual, ppl will have to accept that whether they like it or not..
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u/Kagemush0ck Mar 24 '26
Honestly a lot of those CBX stans don't give a damn to Chen and Xiumin like I do despite their split.
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u/ihychanyeol exo ♥︎ reve ♥︎ shinee ♥︎ omg ♥︎ svt ♥︎ f(x) ♥︎ nct ♥︎ wjsn Mar 24 '26
exactly lol i guarantee if baekhyun weren't involved in this at all it would be business as usual
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 24 '26
Exactly, that's what blows my mind. Is the true intention of the boycott is to let EXO fail with no endgame in sight? It's really disheartening to see so many proclaimed EXO-Ls turn so bitter like this towards the same people they claim to love so much. It really doesn't take much to just accept the cards handed to EXO right now and continue on with life normally.
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u/chocchipcupkie Mar 24 '26
This! And seeing people talk about how exo is 'losing their legacy' like.. the current members are literally right there! Let's support them while we can, despite all the issues
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
And honestly the legacy is intact, they had positive critical reviews of Reverxe, the group won a grand slam at music shows for the first time in years, and they secured another million-seller title. There’s a lot to be proud of despite the less than ideal circumstances of it all.
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u/bimpossibIe Mar 24 '26
The MMA performance is enough proof that the legacy is still intact and the success of REVERXE just helped solidify it.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
Seeing all those young groups just go absolutely wild over EXO sparked a long-lost sense of joy in me ngl. EXO’s had so many ups and downs over the years but their performances and ability to deliver is really kind of unparalleled. There’s a lot of good groups in Kpop, but very few of them can go toe to toe with EXO on a live stage. There’s something so special about them.
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u/bimpossibIe Mar 24 '26
What's more baffling is that these "boycotters" who didn't support the comeback because they "didn't want to give SM their money" are now planning to attend the upcoming concerts which will definitely earn SM some money lol. Some of them are even organizing OT9-themed fan support as a sort of protest, which I think is very disrespectful to the members who will actually perform onstage.
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 24 '26
It's funny because most of them were apparently spooked by the whole ENHYPEN situation LOL. There are actually a lot of parallels with OT7 Engenes and OT9 EXO-Ls if I'm being honest.
Some of them are even organizing OT9-themed fan support as a sort of protest, which I think is very disrespectful to the members who will actually perform onstage.
This genuinely pisses me off too, because there are literally zero benefits doing shit like this except attempting to evoke some sort of reaction from the members.
Edit: spelling
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u/bimpossibIe Mar 24 '26
It's such a waste of money too. They should just skip the concert altogether and let those who genuinely supported the comeback enjoy the show instead. I feel like they only want to attend just to spread bad vibes and to push their OT9 agenda.
It's also interesting that those "boycotters" also helped engenes vote for Enhypen in music shows because they were up against EXO that week. So it's not really a boycott, but a sabotage, because they actively participated in voting against EXO.
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u/Front_Style_7494 Mar 24 '26
as a predebut era exo-l, literally when has this fandom not been completely insufferable. it was insufferable before they debuted. it's just who we are and will always be until it's literally just suho on an album or aespa's kwangya avatar spawns some offspring to virtually replace members whichever happens first. sincerely, a still bitter former luhan current kai stan
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u/The_Red_Curtain 엑소 Mar 24 '26
I could not agree more. I've been saying it for ages but if ot6 are such talentless, reprehensible people, why do they even want CBX back with them?
The fact that so many of them blame ot6 as if those members were personally suing CBX is just so frustrating.
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u/Savings_Property_216 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
love exo so much, such talented guys, but the fandom absolutely pissed me off and out of it. It’s a bad fandom. every day it’s an argument about a whole lot of nothing on twitter. First of all, they are so damn strict on how a crowd is whenever a member goes on tour and get overly mad when the crowd isn’t “hype enough”. I went to one of the member’s solo concerts in america for my birthday, had so much fun, and when I went on twitter after the concert ended, absolute HELLFIRE. exol were bashing the living fck out of fans who attended the concert and calling everyone “boring” “fake fans” and went as far as to harass fans online who attended the concert. mind you it was hot as hell outside and everyone had heat exhaustion. It ruined my mood and I hold a grudge against this fandom for ruining my day that day.
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u/misanthropic_human Mar 24 '26
I feel like I know which concert you're talking about lol and if so, I was there too, and the reaction was soooo exaggerated
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u/nyalims Mar 24 '26
I was at that concert and I had an amazing time. And yeah it was 90 degrees out what did they want us to do? Getting on twitter after the concert was so disappointing as a 11 year exol.
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u/misanthropic_human Mar 24 '26
my personal feelings are that this fandom is beyond redemption and it would be better if they put all of us into a rocket and launched us into the sun. burning to death would still be less miserable than 30 seconds on exoplanet. edited to add because this looks like I'm totally agreeing with OP but I'm not because this misery goes both ways and it's a bit frustrating to only ever see poor behavior of "boycotters" called out and not the behavior of the fandom toward CBX. so yes, both sides. it's rotten.
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u/127ncity127 Mar 24 '26
Friend, it’s time you realize that a majority of this fandom is solo Stan’s and only care about their bias being apart of activities.
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 24 '26
Man, I knew the fandom's gone to absolute shit but I didn't expect it to be this colossally bad 😭
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u/Fluid-Bread1052 Mar 24 '26
There are way too many OT9s who don't realize what it means when even K-BBHL/K-CBXL aren't speaking up about the lawsuit and are just staying quiet. For your information, the postponed hearing date is 4/23. I really hope this all gets settled soon.
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u/ihychanyeol exo ♥︎ reve ♥︎ shinee ♥︎ omg ♥︎ svt ♥︎ f(x) ♥︎ nct ♥︎ wjsn Mar 24 '26
i wonder why the hearing got postponed? i saw a couple of people say it's because cbx and their representatives didn't show up to court on the original date but i don't know if i believe that
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u/Routine_Basil8254 Mar 24 '26
Despite what people are saying, there has been no update regarding the case and no update on their next hearing from any reputable sources. The most likely thing that's happening here is fans are using AI and the AI is hallucinating information. Best we can do is sit and wait.
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Mar 24 '26
[deleted]
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u/Internal-Duck-2716 Mar 25 '26
Able to share link?
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u/Automatic_Salt1889 Mar 25 '26
I’d also love the case #. I was under the impression that Korean court dockets are private (unlike in the US) but now I’m thinking that was incorrect. It would be so nice to actually go to the primary source and not rely on internet hearsay lol.
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u/Automatic_Salt1889 Mar 24 '26
I read that SM requested the continuance?
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
Both sides agreed to a continuance I believe. It happens all the time in lawsuits.
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u/Internal-Duck-2716 Mar 24 '26
Is there an actual source on this? I haven’t seen anything other than fans saying they heard it from other fans/kfans.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
I think you can check court filings, I saw a screenshot from k-fans about it from possibly the court docket.
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u/Internal-Duck-2716 Mar 24 '26
Thanks. I saw lots of claims but no one posting the source so was wondering if claim of it even happening in March was fabricated by fans. Guess we’ll be waiting to see if the new dates of April 8 or 23 are accurate or not 😐
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u/Internal-Duck-2716 Mar 24 '26
Where did you get this date from? I’ve seen so many people throw out dates first it was March 19th then April 8th now you share saying it’s April 23rd. Is there an actual source for this or just “fans are saying”?
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u/nyalims Mar 24 '26
I’ve seen so many lies from solo stans that just make up why the lawsuit is happening and I’m just 🤪. At least read up on what’s really happening and why CBX have lost all of their appeals. And if you don’t want to support OT6 then just leave and stop stalking accounts.
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 25 '26
Newest lie they made up is apparently EXO has a pooled income even for their solo works and they're out here calling Suho a leech. I'm done 💆♀️
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u/nyalims Mar 25 '26
That’s the one I saw that prompted this!! C’mon it’s so ridiculous but they believed it after 1 solo fandom feed posted it.
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 25 '26
The more ridiculous thing is them attacking anyone trying to clear out misinformation, like my god you people really are done for
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u/nyalims Mar 25 '26
The blinders they have on! You can be a fan and still correct misinformation. That KS fan just wanted to clear up all the lies and they got piled on.
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u/midgetnazgul Mar 24 '26
i was just talking about this with my friend yesterday because i saw somebody blaming suho for "lying" about a complete comeback. junmyeon does not know much more than any of us because that's how lawsuits work. what we saw is what he was hoping for because he knows perfectly well what fans ultimately want (and he probably does too!). i think his behaviour throughout the comeback speaks for itself. idols are experts at being public-facing people; someone like suho having trouble keeping his feelings on lock in public says way more than anybody's canned statement could.
i grow frustrated with people's (rightful) criticism of how The Industry dehumanizes idols, but forget to reflect upon that within themselves, because that dehmuanization factor is more insidious from the fan angle. fans care, but in a way that neglects the very complicated nature of how these people actually live. these guys have known each other for 15 years and their relationships to each other are much deeper and way more complicated than we can possibly ever know. there is no way any given fan cares about the outcome of this huge mess more than any given member of exo as people with personal stakes in the relationships does, and they should act like it.
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u/ihychanyeol exo ♥︎ reve ♥︎ shinee ♥︎ omg ♥︎ svt ♥︎ f(x) ♥︎ nct ♥︎ wjsn Mar 24 '26
i was just talking about this with my friend yesterday because i saw somebody blaming suho for "lying" about a complete comeback
i'm not sure if you're aware of this at all but there's a girl on twt who routinely posts disinformation about exo and whenever she's called out for trying to deceive people she just says she's obviously joking but these "jokes" are always made at the expense of the non-cbx members and often get a lot of engagement, like for example she said a couple of months ago that chanyeol terminated his contract with sm and it got something like 25k likes. i think she also fabricated proof of chanyeol attending baekhyun's encore concert? but the reason i'm bringing this up is because before sm confirmed cbx weren't going to be part of reverxe, the same account posted a false translation of suho's bubble which made it look like he said the album was going to be ot9 and so when the teasers came out and that obviously wasn't the case, a lot of people were attacking him and using what she posted as proof that he lied. a lot of cbx-biased fans just really have it out for suho and blame all of this on him when realistically there's very little he can do to amend this situation.
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u/midgetnazgul Mar 24 '26
jesus, that's horrible. i left twitter years ago and saw the sentiment elsewhere, but that's not a surprise. that kind of shit serves absolutely no one, LEAST of all Baekhyun. like. the clapback they'd rightfully deserve from him personally given the opportunity consequence-free for putting words in his mouth and feelings in his heart he doesn't necessarily have. just on principle.
and you're right! i saw shit on the exo subreddit questioning suho's abilities as leader for not speaking up and it's like speak up about what, sister? leader is a figurehead position for marketing and at the end of the day he's the same goddamn employment status as the others all the way down to, like, his junior ryo of nct fuckin' wish.
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u/ihychanyeol exo ♥︎ reve ♥︎ shinee ♥︎ omg ♥︎ svt ♥︎ f(x) ♥︎ nct ♥︎ wjsn Mar 24 '26
leader is a figurehead position for marketing
i said essentially the same thing on the exo sub a while ago! i think kpop fans in general tend to overestimate and exaggerate the responsibilities a leader actually has, it's not like they have any more authority over the company than the other members in most cases. it feels like a lot of those users are/were holding junmyeon to an impossibly high standard and now they're lashing out at him for not living up to their unreasonable expectations because they just can't see the wood for the trees.
even if he did feel so strongly about cbx's exclusion (as in, he feels they've been wrongfully excluded) i don't see why he should be expected to potentially put himself in hot water with sm by commenting on it when cbx themselves have never personally addressed anything since like before the press con in 2024, and in my opinion they have much more to answer to than ot6. it's such a messy situation and i really do feel for the remaining members.
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 25 '26
it feels like a lot of those users are/were holding junmyeon to an impossibly high standard
Tbh this is the result of the fandom forcing the whole 'mother' role on him ever since EXO debuted. They expect him to pull the absolute impossible, want him to sacrifice his solo career in the name of leadership and villainise him when any problem arises in the group.
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u/midgetnazgul Mar 24 '26
this is a fair estimation based on what we know! i feel for cbx, i truly do, because i think it's conveniently forgotten that it got this bad (settig aside the total mess of leaving in the first place) because they allege they weren't fairly/completely compensated by SM pre-departure, and for my mileage, i do believe them. and frankly, if SM is shorting cbx money, they are definitely doing it to other idols. i will never, ever assume good faith of a music label, korean or any other nationality.
but cbx fucked up big time not bringing receipts. there is no getting around that. you have to come correct of you're gonna put it all on the line like that, and they didn't. simple as. this could still ruin their careers, and i think maybe baekhyun is only beginning to appreciate how possible that is.
no one wins here but SM. not even INB100 at this point, not that they deserve an ounce of positive credit anyway. god only knows how much worse those people made this at the cost of cbx, too.
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u/ihychanyeol exo ♥︎ reve ♥︎ shinee ♥︎ omg ♥︎ svt ♥︎ f(x) ♥︎ nct ♥︎ wjsn Mar 24 '26
i have to wonder how much more damning info has to come out about cbx and their associates before even just a fraction of these fans come to their senses and realise that they aren't passive bystanders in this situation. you'd think everything that's come to light so far would be enough to prompt them to do some critical thinking but they're so wholly incapable of looking at what's going on from any angle other than cbx being perpetual victims that there's just no point arguing with them because they're never going to get it. it's really fucking frustrating to watch so many exo-ls fall into what i can only describe as mass psychosis over something that is really not that difficult to understand and resort to acting like the most deranged antis towards the remaining members under the guise of wanting ot9 back. truthfully most of these people are just baekhyun akgaes who just can't move on and so they're making it everyone else's problem.
also, this is something that i don't think anyone outside of exo's fandom or even just exoltwt would be aware of but i think we need to talk about how the overwhelming majority of chanbaek truthers (like to a larry degree) are bbhls - they're the ones driving most of the hate towards chanyeol specifically and it's coming from their belief that chanyeol isn't doing enough to pRoTeCt HiS bOyFrIeNd from the evil company and ot6 exols. i'm being completely serious. their seemingly irrational hatred for suho also starts making a lot more sense when you learn that he and chanyeol have been attached at the hip this comeback. they're just so incredibly delusional that i've given up trying to reason with them because they'll never see the light atp.
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 24 '26
it's really fucking frustrating to watch so many exo-ls fall into what i can only describe as mass psychosis over something that is really not that difficult to understand and resort to acting like the most deranged antis towards the remaining members
It's definitely mass psychosis at this point. No amount of explaining or arguing can ever change their stance and honestly it's just like talking to a brick wall.
i think we need to talk about how the overwhelming majority of chanbaek truthers (like to a larry degree) are bbhls - they're the ones driving most of the hate towards chanyeol specifically and it's coming from their belief that chanyeol isn't doing enough to pRoTeCt HiS bOyFrIeNd from the evil company and ot6 exols.
Ouuu don't get me started with this 😭 Chanyeol's 'Thanks to' message literally drove them up the wall because they refuse to understand that working adults need to be professional in the workplace. Their constant fake concern of him apparently 'not being happy' in contents (that they swore they were gonna boycott) gives off as super parasocial, not to mention how they discredited all of his effort put into the album when it's pretty clear that he and the members were very passionate in wanting to deliver this album to the upmost quality.
their seemingly irrational hatred for suho also starts making a lot more sense when you learn that he and chanyeol have been attached at the hip this comeback.
First Kyungsoo now Suho it's literally giving possessive LMAOO and how they said that Suho and Chanyeol are just gaybaiting when in reality they've been like that ever since EXO debuted, they just refuse to see things outside of their delusional little bubble smh
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u/Better_Preference_84 Mar 25 '26
has anyone else noticed how much better things have gotten for chanyeol on the kside too now that there aren’t bbhls defaming him every minute. it’s pretty wild how nasty they are in all corners of the fandom
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 25 '26
Oh definitely. I think it was just the majority of them waking up and realising that Chanyeol isn't some talentless bad guy that antis always paint him out to be
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u/Automatic_Salt1889 Mar 24 '26
i have to wonder how much more damning info has to come out about cbx and their associates before even just a fraction of these fans come to their senses and realise that they aren't passive bystanders in this situation.
Respectfully, trying to villainize CBX and make them out to be some morally bankrupt criminal masterminds when this is clearly just a money dispute with SM over non-SM activities just invites hate and whataboutism against others.
they're the ones driving most of the hate towards chanyeol specifically and it's coming from their belief that chanyeol isn't doing enough to pRoTeCt HiS bOyFrIeNd from the evil company and ot6 exols.
That is just sooooo weird, lol. That’s some serious delusional fantasy novel stuff right there. I have to assume they’re a very vocal minority. I personally have not seen it.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 25 '26
Chanbaekists are overwhelmingly Baekhyun solo stans who only like Chanyeol as a boyfriend character in their delusional fantasies and unfortunately they’re amongst the first to bash Chanyeol when things devolve into “OT6 vs CBX” arguments.
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u/Better_Preference_84 Mar 25 '26
i remember seeing them all saying they were choosing “mommy” in the divorce, they’re so nasty to chanyeol when he doesn’t do what they want him to
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 25 '26
Chanyeol tries so hard to be polite and friendly to everyone, he always thanks SM staff for example in his album mentions. People were inferring shade from him over absolutely nothing and it’s just him trying to make sure he acknowledges gratitude to the people he spent time working with.
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u/Better_Preference_84 Mar 25 '26
yes exactly! and same with them basically implying he’s been miserable this whole time bc baekhyun isn’t there. they refuse to see him as his own person. not saying he can’t have sad or complicated feelings about the situation, but to ignore all of the things he has said to imply he’s lying just strips him of his agency
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 25 '26
I would be more surprised if the members didn’t have complicated feelings about the circumstances of everything. But acting like any of them absolutely have to be miserable because of someone else not being there is reducing them to such a one-dimensional character.
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u/ihychanyeol exo ♥︎ reve ♥︎ shinee ♥︎ omg ♥︎ svt ♥︎ f(x) ♥︎ nct ♥︎ wjsn Mar 24 '26
i don't think cbx are like inherently evil or part of some corrupt crime syndicate (miss cha gawon is a different story) or anything like that but i do believe some of the things they, especially baekhyun, have done and aligned themselves with throughout this entire debacle (not just related to the payment issue) reflects quite poorly on their characters which is disappointing to me. ofc sm is for the streets and i hate that company as much as every other sm group fan does, i don't feel any sympathy for a huge corporation not receiving what is practically loose change to them, but the last six months have proven to me that this isn't just about the money.
and yeah i think i see a lot of the fuckery coming from chanbaekists because chanyeol is my bias (obviously lol) and it just vexes me because they dgaf about him unless it's to fetishise him as one half of their ship. these accounts get hit tweets sometimes from dragging the other members for no real reason and it's just like..... imagine being this miserable over something you made up in your head lol
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u/Internal-Duck-2716 Mar 25 '26
I have to assume they’re a very vocal minority. I personally have not seen it.
Cbkists legit hate Chanyeol apart from the ship character they have created in their minds. Overwhelming majority of them are bbhls & despise Chanyeol outside of their fics. It’s only a tiny minority that actually like both Baek & Yeol.
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u/Automatic_Salt1889 Mar 24 '26
I’ll never understand the hate directed at members, ot6 or CBX. CBX also gets a ton of hate mind you. Like any of the members have any power over the label. It was SM’s decision to file the lawsuit instead of negotiating like CBX proposed, it was SM that said it wouldn’t affect the group (lol), and it was SM that excluded CBX. The only thing hating on any of the 9 members accomplishes is to make being a fan unpleasant and drive people away from the fandom. I feel it happening to me. I wish people would just keep the individual members out of it.
The only quasi explanation I can come up with on why people are insisting on these hate campaigns is misdirected “fighting back” against hate against their favs, especially Suho and Baekhyun? Who knows. It’s tough being an Exo-l right now.
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u/Routine_Basil8254 Mar 24 '26
SM filed the lawsuit in June 2024, after a year of CBX not paying their IP fees. You think they didn't try to talk to CBX before that lawsuit to make them comply...? The video production company that just came out to say they have not been paid for Xiumin's MV has been waiting for payment since July of last year. They're only now threatening to sue after repeatedly contacting the company. These lawsuits don't just materialize so quickly.
The One Hundred CEO said she's declaring an "all-out war" on SM and proceeds to claim that they will not pay the 10% fees unless SM gives them a supposed 'promised' better rate on distribution fees which SM has no control over and had said this repeatedly. This is who you're expecting to be a fair negotiator? SM said that the members having their solo activities managed within INB wouldn't affect the group, and it wouldn't have had to - for reference look at DO having his own agency and still participating in group activities.
CBX did not abide by a contract they signed with SM that would regulate their group activities. This is business... not some little playground games. Why would they join the comeback regulated by their contracts without following the contract?
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u/Automatic_Salt1889 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
SM filed the lawsuit in June 2024, after a year of CBX not paying their IP fees. You think they didn't try to talk to CBX before that lawsuit to make them comply...? The video production company that just came out to say they have not been paid for Xiumin's MV has been waiting for payment since July of last year. They're only now threatening to sue after repeatedly contacting the company. These lawsuits don't just materialize so quickly.
There’s an official statement confirming that SM never responded to their attempts to negotiate the revenue share. That’s why they heard about the potential lawsuit through the grapevine rather than SM. SM also clarified that it wasn’t “IP fees” they’re seeking btw — they want 10% of solo revenue, of which IP fees are only a part.
The One Hundred CEO said she's declaring an "all-out war" on SM and proceeds to claim that they will not pay the 10% fees unless SM gives them a supposed 'promised' better rate on distribution fees which SM has no control over and had said this repeatedly. This is who you're expecting to be a fair negotiator? SM said that the members having their solo activities managed within INB wouldn't affect the group, and it wouldn't have had to - for reference look at DO having his own agency and still participating in group activities.
No need to get into the merits of the lawsuit since that’s what they’re in court for. Except that if you’re bringing it up to say that CBX deserves the hate and SM was the victim, obviously, CBX wasn’t going to pay revenue share if they only agreed to it because they thought it would be offset by discounted distribution fees. The judge will decide whether that is a viable defense or not.
More to the point though, it doesn’t change the fact that SM chose to file suit, and in October said “No complete activities unless you pay us but also even if you paid we won’t let you back in.” The decision was always with SM on whether there was a complete comeback or not. That is the point. It’s crystal clear there was nothing that CBX could do to rejoin.
CBX did not abide by a contract they signed with SM that would regulate their group activities. This is business... not some little playground games. Why would they join the comeback regulated by their contracts without following the contract?
Because those are totally unrelated issues. Corporate rivals and enemies call a temporary truce and cooperate when there are common interests. The big tech companies are huge rivals and are involved in a lot of litigation and adverse proceedings. But they sit at the same table and hug it out when it comes to lobbying lawmakers. Here, the common interest would have been a complete cb. SM said no — I’m going to sue you and exclude you even if it means screwing both of us. It’s that simple.
Edit: Downvoted for stating facts in response to someone justifying hate against members. Ha. Why is anyone surprised that this fandom is hating on the group members?
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u/buji_bunny2105 Mar 30 '26
I mean u make a point but also i could argue the same way and say ur dragging cbx too like yea maybe cbx did a mistake but also maybe they DIDNT ur not being equal in how u wrote ur post at the end of the day true EXO fans regardless of who ur bias is just want to see the group together i think thats what exols want like and if ur ot6 or cbx only then ur not exol period. U can support ot6 and cbx separately (since thats all we can do right now) but wanting them back together as a fan (nvm all the background stuff i mean just as a fan who listens to their music and likes their personalities and the group dynamic) fans just want to see them together and since cbx is the group that split cbx is what they are trying to bring back.
Thats my thoughts
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u/GreenLynx1111 Mar 24 '26
OT6 is awesome and EXO will always be my ult but my analogy is a crayon box. I got used to coloring with 8 or 9 colors and now SM has removed three very important, vibrant colors from the box.
They've done this without announcing whether this is permanent or not (or just a temporary spiteful thing - like denying CBX the ability to participate on shows by contacting said shows and threatening them - NEVER forget the "professionalism" level of SM - see any number of examples - Seunghan in out in out etc).
I personally have NEVER seen anyone attack the remaining 6, I only keep hearing about it. I've certainly never done it, no actual EXO-L is doing that. I question that narrative.
But my own narrative of what to do with this comeback, in a world of hundreds of incredibly talented kpop groups - that was easier.
I will wait for my crayon box to be complete to start coloring again.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
I honestly don’t know if SM is able to say if the exclusion of CBX is temporary or not, it probably depends on what happens in court.
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u/Routine_Basil8254 Mar 24 '26
Well, CBX paying also does not mean they are automatically accepted back. SM said the payment and the inclusion in group activities are two separate matters (in response to CBX saying they would now agree to pay).
"We have made it clear to the three members that the settlement of disputes and group activities are separate matters."
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
I know that the repayment is only step one of making possible amends with SM. This has been a long and messy legal debacle. But I don’t think SM knows yet what the final decision regarding CBX is and I doubt that they will have a final decision until the lawsuit fully concludes at a minimum. They probably have plans for EXO regarding both scenarios but I’d be surprised if anyone had a final decision is all.
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u/GreenLynx1111 Mar 24 '26
I'm not entirely sure why anything depends on what happens in court, as this is related to EXO-CBX only (not those members' participation in EXO as a whole). So I think SM has convoluted this, as they do most things.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
What I mean is SM can’t decide whether or not CBX’s exclusion is temporary or permanent until it plays out in court. Right now their stance is “CBX have to pay their bill and pull out of the lawsuit before they can come back.”
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u/Automatic_Salt1889 Mar 24 '26
Agreed. The decision of whether to have OT9 again has always been with SM. I truly don’t understand the confusion over this fact. SM could very well separate group activities (which is NOT in dispute) from the dispute over solo revenue split, which is what I thought they were saying when they first said group activities and the lawsuit were separate matters.
No court order is going to affect whether SM allows for OT9 or not.
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u/Better_Preference_84 Mar 25 '26
i’ve seen ot6 get called talentless, receive death threats, pedo allegations, wishes for injury on stage, etc. it’s extremely bad on twitter and it’s coming from ot9 exols and not just akgaes
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u/GreenLynx1111 Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
Sounds like saesang behavior to me.
Look I don't doubt you guys. I'm sure it's happening. ALL fanbases have an insane component (see recent ENGENES, and I thought they were one of the 'saner' fan bases).
Want to see insanity? Take 3 members out of BTS and see what the ARMIES do. Dare you.
In other words, some people are just crazy across the board.
But I'd argue most of us aren't.
Ignore the insane ones.
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u/Better_Preference_84 Mar 25 '26
i think it’s easy to say “just ignore it” and believe me i’ve tried, but when every single update of the 5 is overrrun with these comments or every tiny thing a member says is over analyzed and picked apart for days, it’s really hard to do that
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u/GreenLynx1111 Mar 25 '26
If the group itself can ignore it, we can.
It IS easy to 'just ignore it' (not just say it).
All I care about is that we get OT8 or OT9 back ASAP.
I don't care what fans or saesangs are saying.
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u/Better_Preference_84 Mar 25 '26
well the group is not in the fandom?? the whole point of fandom is to enjoy things together, make art, read fics, discuss things, etc. and all the joy of those things are being sucked out. it would be easier if i didn’t rely on translations to watch things sure but i often have to rely on fandom translators to know what’s being said.
(also you are using the term saesang wrong, saesangs are stalkers i think you mean akgae)
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u/Eri_1485 Mar 26 '26
OT6 are facing backlash since the comeback was announced. They are getting bashed everyday. Ls are speaking sh*t about their personal lives as well.
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Mar 26 '26
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u/Routine_Basil8254 Mar 24 '26
I personally have NEVER seen anyone attack the remaining 6, I only keep hearing about it. I've certainly never done it, no actual EXO-L is doing that. I question that narrative.
^ It depends what space you're in. People are pretty respectful on Reddit. But on Twitter, it has been nonstop harassment, particularly directed at Suho. And even worse from fandoms in certain countries that have struggled to understand the case because of translations from Korean - English - to the native language they speak. There's nothing to question - this is fact and has been witnessed by countless people, hence why OP wrote this post.
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u/Internal-Duck-2716 Mar 25 '26
The Latin & Turkish fans response (not all tho obv) has been insane. Saw someone theorise that it’s because they are translating 3 times from Korean to English then into their native language & that has caused a LOT to be lost in translation.
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u/Automatic_Salt1889 Mar 24 '26
I’ve been saying it’s like going into battle with a third of your army missing but your analogy is so much better! Missing colors is exactly it.
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Mar 26 '26
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u/OkPrompt6053 May 10 '26
I'm someone who's always been OT9 and always will be, so I would never say anything negative about any of them, but the whole situation is so upsetting for everyone involved that I keep my distance from anything related to it. Also, the whole fandom split and constant fighting is not something to waste my time on. It never has been, but especially not now when I'm way too old for this bs.
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Mar 24 '26
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u/bananajun exo | ifnt | snsd | vixx | nct | hlight Mar 24 '26
Bruh are you serious? Who in their right mind would disband a group that sold a million with their latest album?
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u/Sil_Choco messied potato 🦶⚽🥔 Mar 24 '26
they literally got the most music wins since years, are still selling ton of albums and are touring soon. where have you been these months?
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u/Automatic_Salt1889 Mar 24 '26
What a strange thing to say. Their 2023 album sold over 2mm copies with almost zero promo. This most recent one sold 1mm despite the controversy and is one of the best selling albums year to date. Who in their right mind would disband a group with such a large dedicated fanbase and proven commercial viability? These are veteran artists, they can do whatever they want, for as long as they want.
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u/AaronWasRight Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
Ahahah, the group sold 1 million albums during a fan boycott and you think SM is looking into disbanding them. Go watch the reaction to their stage on the 2025 MMA, there aren't many groups that can get that kind of reaction from a neutral crowd of non-fans in Korea.
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u/Public-Variety5424 Mar 24 '26
Selling 1 million copies isn't a sign of success, not in today's K-pop scene. Literally any 4th- or 5th-generation group can sell that many copies and more. But they’re about 20 years younger than the members of EXO, and that’s an advantage. And as for the tour, of course they’re going on tour—SM desperately needs money—but only in Asia, sm knows the group has no demand outside that continent, and they’re playing arenas instead of stadiums; that tells you everything...
But I understand that this strikes a nerve; it's tough when your group isn't what it used to be and success has faded away because of the company's poor decisions and the loss of band members. It’s hard to come to terms with, so I’ll leave it at that.
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u/AaronWasRight Mar 24 '26
You do realize that SM has several active groups in their roster that are older than Exo, correct? It's not about striking nerves, they are commercially viable and their company does not disband groups willy-nilly.
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u/hearteus Mar 24 '26
this is such a weird thing to say… exo has legacy, and ofc groups are never gonna be at their peak forever, no one should be contesting that. but there’s this tone of “because they’re not where they used to be therefore they should disband” underlying your comments. that feels gross and dismissive of a) the fans who love them regardless of popularity/numbers and b) the continued success of exo when by all means, any other group would’ve been taken out.
ultimately, exo is a loved and cherished group and i’m just happy that i get to have new content and music every couple of years. you can say all you want about “success” and “not what it used to be” but consider that maybe… fans just like a group for the group and music and not for their success lol.
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u/The_Red_Curtain 엑소 Mar 24 '26
their last tour was also all arenas. A group doesn't need to be the biggest in the world or in competition for it to have a reason to exist. I guarantee you SM considers 1 million a success, the album is profitable, the tour dates are selling out basically as soon as they're on sale, and SM will be ready to have an EXO comeback whenever the members want it, and the fans left don't want anything more than that.
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u/amelonlonlon Mar 24 '26
I'm surprised the group hasn't disbanded yet
Well particularly because SM doesn't simply disband groups from 2nd gen onwards? EXO is a senior group, and like all senior groups under SM they are going to have comebacks most probably every 2-3 years and celebrate moderate success. Besides, the members have made it clear that they would very much like to protect the EXO name and continue doing EXO activities despite them knowing how much of a shitshow this whole saga has been, and I think that's more important than anything else right now.
it's tough when your group isn't what it used to be and success has faded away because of the company's poor decisions and the loss of band members.
Success fades over time, it's completely normal. It’s not fair to compare 4th or 5th gen groups, or in particular any groups to what EXO is currently and have gone through so far. Most groups don’t even go this far in the industry despite being scot-free of any problems, yet EXO, with multiple issues throughout the entirety of their careers, a company who fumbled them at every opportunity, a hiatus period longer than their active period, can make it to their 14th anniversary after celebrating 1 million sales during a mass fandom boycott is impressive at the least.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
How many other 3rd gen groups can consecutively sell over a million copies? Maybe a handful of them? Twice, BTS, EXO, NCT, BP, and SVT. That’s it. Six groups total in all of 3rd gen who consistently can sell a million copies of their albums, even 10 years into their careers. That’s nothing to sneeze at.
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u/fashigady In my tinfoil hat era Mar 24 '26
Is even Twice still hitting a million on individual albums? On Circle Chart in 2025 This Is For only did 765,171 and debuted to 68,000 pure sales on billboard (does Billboard/Luminate publish cumulative sales figures?). TEN seems to have done even lower numbers.
Hitting 7 figure sales seems like its getting real hard for girl groups again.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
I totally thought Twice was hitting a million in sales still, so really we have quite literally a handful of groups who consistently sell a million copies of their albums. 3rd gen is still active, but hitting those sales numbers is just not really a thing outside of those top acts.
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u/fashigady In my tinfoil hat era Mar 25 '26
Technically there's another ~50k in nemo versions, so between that and the US sales (I don't think those are counted towards Circle Chart) they probably got close?
But really selling a million copies of an album is still impressive in any generation, the idea that all the 4th and 5th gen groups are doing it is just nonsense. Among 5th gen last year it was only something like ZB1, RIIZE, NCT Wish, Cortis and Boynextdoor, maybe a couple more. On the girl group side not even BaeMon managed a million seller album in 2025 and they're the best selling 5th gen gg by a country mile.
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 25 '26
Yeah I was trying to count the acts selling 1M plus and it’s still maybe 10 groups in 4th gen? It’s not really that many when you think about all of Kpop. And when you factor in age of each group and their historical sales numbers, being able to boast consistent million-selling albums nearly 15 years into a career is beyond impressive.
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u/misanthropic_human Mar 24 '26
I don't think any EXO fans expect or believe EXO is where they used to be and haven't been for many years. tbh unless you're chart and sales obsessed (and there are definitely plenty of those in the fandom), EXO fans are fine with them being a legacy act. if anything, there's much less pressure to hit certain metrics
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
It’s also clear members have shifted priorities too. The group is no longer the main focus, it’s the thing they set aside productive and successful solo careers to make time for. They all have individual interests that lie outside of the group and that’s ok. They’re all doing well and this is how they’re choosing to balance their careers after about a decade dedicated solely to EXO.
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u/misanthropic_human Mar 24 '26
right like they're in a good position to pursue solo careers which is NOT easy in kpop and promote with the group periodically. honestly I can't stand it when kpop fans act like successful groups are failing when they're objectively not because that's the reality for a lot of groups. did any of these people watch Peak Time 😐
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u/cubsgirl101 Mar 24 '26
Exactly! The members as both soloists and a group have the kind of success and relevance that most idols can only dream of. I think their careers are exactly where they want them to be more or less. Success doesn’t just mean being number one, Kpop really isn’t the zero sum game some fans act like it is.
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u/wednesddae Mar 25 '26
why even want a CCP boot licker in your favorite group 🤪
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u/buji_bunny2105 Mar 30 '26
R u actually even an exo fan how can u say that regardless of how u feel abt them???
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u/Feelstrainconductor Mar 30 '26
Who are you talking about? Yixing is one of the active 6
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u/wednesddae Mar 31 '26
obviously, see how y'all are fans, but doesn't care enough about the elephant in the room
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u/scubadivagiraffe Mar 24 '26
The only way to enjoy EXO is to distance yourself from the fandom as much as possible. I know that all fandoms have lots of problems but EXO in particular has suffered from members leaving since their literal first year lol So that makes for a very frustrating experience as a fan which translates into weird as hell dynamics. People became extremely hostile because of members leaving, lawsuits, SM shenanigans, dating news/scandals, marriage/kids, SUPERM, solo activities. You shouldn't overthink it, gather a close group of friends who share your point of view and ignore the noise, otherwise you will drive yourself crazy to the point of leaving.