SM Entertainment has firmly denied reaching any agreement with EXO subunit CBX, consisting of members Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin, as tensions continue to escalate between the three artists and their former agency. The dispute has cast serious doubt over whether the trio will participate in upcoming EXO group activities, leaving fans uncertain about the future of one of K-pop's most successful boy bands.

In a statement released Thursday, SM Entertainment emphasized that resolving legal disputes and participating in group activities are entirely separate matters. The entertainment giant stated it has consistently won in previous legal proceedings and maintained that its only demand from the three members is compliance with a specific clause from their June 18, 2023 agreement. According to SM, this clause requires Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin to pay 10 percent of their individual activity revenue to the company, a condition that allegedly remains unfulfilled.

Regarding the exclusion of the three members from EXO's upcoming group plans, SM Entertainment explained their position clearly. "Mutual trust has been deeply damaged due to repeated disputes, and the team, members and fans have all suffered," the company stated. "It is only natural that sincere efforts toward restoring trust and fulfilling the existing agreement should come first." This statement suggests that SM views the financial compliance as a prerequisite for the members' return to group activities.

The controversy intensified after CBX's current agency, INB100, issued its own statement expressing the trio's willingness to accept all of SM Entertainment's conditions to facilitate a complete EXO reunion. INB100 argued that following a second mediation session held on October 2, they had agreed to SM's terms, making the company's decision to announce group activities excluding CBX unreasonable and unfair.

However, SM Entertainment strongly refuted these claims, presenting a different version of events. "Contrary to CBX's assertion that they accepted all terms after the October 2 mediation, they actually filed an objection on October 16," the company stated. SM expressed deep regret over what it characterized as "this distortion of facts," suggesting that CBX and their representatives were misrepresenting the timeline and nature of their negotiations.

On Monday, SM Entertainment officially announced that EXO will hold a fan meeting on December 13 and 14, followed by the release of the group's eighth studio album in the first quarter of next year. However, the announced lineup includes only six members: Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun, and Lay, notably excluding Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin. This announcement has disappointed many fans who were hoping for a complete group reunion.

Despite the ongoing controversy and public disagreements, CBX reiterated through their agency INB100 that they remain committed to joining EXO's full-group activities once a fair resolution is reached. This statement underscores the continued uncertainty surrounding the participation of three key members in one of K-pop's longest-running and most successful boy bands, leaving the future of EXO's complete lineup hanging in the balance.