CBX Loses Lawsuit, EXO’verse Continues Without Them

CBX loses its lawsuit against SM Entertainment.
Fans protest their exclusion from “EXO’verse.”
EXO-Ls unite under #EXOisNine for justice and unity.

EXO Ls around the world are processing shocking news at the end of October 2025. In the midst of excitement over SM Entertainment’s announcement of the “EXO’verse” fan meeting and preparations for EXO’s upcoming eighth album, a Korean court delivered a disappointing verdict for the sub unit ChenBaekXi (CBX). According to the legal documents published, the civil, criminal, and administrative lawsuits filed by Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin against SM Entertainment were dismissed or suspended, meaning the trio has not yet achieved justice.

The decision has raised serious concerns about CBX’s future as part of EXO and deepened fans’ frustration, who have witnessed the group’s unity since its formation in 2012.

CBX’s Legal Dispute and Fan Reactions

The conflict between CBX and SM Entertainment began in June 2023 when the three members accused the company of forcing them to sign long term contracts deemed unfair and failing to provide transparent financial reports. According to Forbes, they sent an official notice to terminate their exclusive contracts, citing inaccurate payment data.

Both sides later signed the 6·18 Agreement, a temporary settlement that allowed full group activities to continue under SM while CBX could pursue solo and unit promotions through their new agency INB100. SM would receive 10% of the members’ individual earnings. However, CBX claimed SM failed to provide financial statements and pay the agreed 5.5% distribution fee, while SM insisted that the exclusive contracts must still be honored.

Over the next year, CBX filed six major legal actions including civil lawsuits, document disclosure requests, criminal complaints, and reports to both the MCST and KFTC, all of which ended with rulings that no evidence of illegal activity by SM Entertainment was found. The Seoul Eastern District Court even described CBX’s request to open all 13 years of financial records as an attempt to “apply psychological pressure” on the company and restricted access only to documents related to the new contract’s start date.

Their reports to MCST and KFTC regarding accounting and subsidy violations were also dismissed, concluding there was “no violation.” Mediation efforts until September 2025 failed to reach a compromise, with about ₩600 million (approximately USD 410,000) still under dispute. After the ruling on October 28, 2025, CBX’s future grew increasingly uncertain, and they must either fulfill their contractual obligations or seek a new path outside of EXO.

On October 27, 2025, SM Entertainment announced that the “EXO’verse” fan meeting would feature only six members: Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun, and Lay. The decision sparked a wave of outrage from fans worldwide. Hashtags such as #EXOisNine, #AlwaysWithOT9, and #CBX_is_part_of_EXO trended globally in protest.

The EXO L Global community even released an official open letter addressed to SM Entertainment, demanding:

“Complete respect for all nine members without arbitrary exclusions,

transparency and fairness in all legal and contractual agreements,

and dignified treatment and promotion recognizing their historical and artistic value.”

Signed by “EXO L GLOBAL,” the letter emphasized that EXO is not just a business but a legacy that deserves respect.

The situation further escalated on X (formerly Twitter) after the account Pannchoa posted, “SM officially states that CBX are no longer EXO.” Shortly after, users discovered that the original article had been edited, with the line “the company’s idea is that it is impossible to continue EXO activities together…” removed without explanation.

“Are you saying this post has been deleted? To be honest, I thought everyone would know this was SM’s propaganda tactic 😡,” one user wrote.

“This is proof that the sentence suddenly disappeared. Luckily, some Exols managed to take a screenshot of the media play article,” another user added, showing before and after comparisons of the edited article.

However, some fans urged caution.

“The main article was edited due to the spread of false information. It hasn’t been verified by the companies involved. So it’s better not to be fooled by clickbait sources,” wrote @Lu_exo82.

Other fans criticized SM’s inconsistency.

“Lay, who left early to start his own business, was called back to fill the void, while CBX, who spent their youth in SM, were treated as strangers. Well, we just put the money in our pockets and save it for next time.”

Meanwhile, others expressed quiet resilience.

“In the current situation we just need to believe in EXO. It’s hard, but what else can we do?”

EXO’verse Schedule Update and Future Expectations

Amid the ongoing controversy, SM pressed forward with its fan meeting plans. According to The Korea Herald, EXO’s EXO’verse fan meeting was originally scheduled for December 13 and 14, 2025, at Inspire Arena in Incheon. However, the event has now been consolidated into a single day, December 14, with two sessions at 2 PM and 7 PM.

The schedule revision was confirmed by several fanbase and media accounts on X, including @no_loey_no_life, who posted:

“EXO’verse || EXO Fanmeeting Schedule Change

Dec 13 (5 PM) → Dec 14 (2 PM)

Dec 14 (4 PM) → Dec 14 (7 PM).”

This fan meeting marks EXO’s first group appearance since completing their military service. The members will perform hit songs and preview new tracks from their upcoming eighth studio album, set for release in the first quarter of 2026.

Ticket pre sales open on October 30 for official fan club members, followed by general sales on October 31 via Melon Ticket. The six confirmed participants are Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun, and Lay.

Despite disappointment, EXO Ls have continued to show solidarity through online projects and trending hashtags. The EXO L Global open letter once again reminded the company:

“EXO is not just a business, it is a legacy, and it deserves to be treated as such.”

Many fans hope SM Entertainment will consider EXO’s long standing legacy and CBX’s contributions before the next album release. Meanwhile, speculation continues about potential future mediation between the two sides.

Whether CBX will eventually reunite with EXO or carve out a separate path remains uncertain. But one thing is clear, this controversy has reignited the call for transparency and fair treatment in the K-pop industry, reinforcing the sentiment that, for fans worldwide, EXO will always be nine.

Source: Forbes, OSEN, The Korea Herald, Allkpop, Pannchoa, EXOLEGACY Fanbase