K-pop boy band EXO will be making their comeback next month with the release of a new album amid a growing legal dispute about the contracts of three members.
EXO will release their seventh studio album on July 10 with SM Entertainment telling Korean media, "As much as we prepared hard, the promotion related to the album will proceed as planned, and the detailed schedule will be released soon."
EXO (Twitter)
EXO-CBX's Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen (Twitter)
Last June 1, EXO members Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen, also known as the EXO subunit CBX, surprised fans and the entertainment industry by notifying SM Entertainment that they are terminating their exclusive contracts due to so-called “slave” provisions and the agency failing to provide them copies of the financial settlement.
The three K-pop idols also filed a complaint against SM Entertainment with Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC), seeking investigation not only in their contracts but of other SM artists as well.
Despite their lawsuit, Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen are continuing with their activities with EXO. On June 8, the three and fellow EXO members were seen at Gimpo Airport in South Korea to board their flight to Jeju Island to film a reality show.
Korean media reported that Kai, who enlisted in the military on May 11, participated in the filming of a music video for EXO’s new song. He finished filming with EXO members before his enlistment and participated in the recording of the upcoming album.
EXO released their sixth studio album “Obsession” in November 2019 and released the mini-album “Don’t Fight the Feeling” in June 2021.