K-pop supergroup EXO has sent shockwaves through the music industry with a surprise announcement of their December comeback, marking their return as a complete group after years of mandatory military service separations. The highly anticipated reunion comes just 12 days before the group's youngest member, Sehun, completes his required social service duty, officially ending EXO's military hiatus period.

At 1:26 a.m. on Monday, EXO's official social media accounts released a cryptic teaser poster featuring the text "DECEMBER 2025" alongside the mysterious tagline "When we become true one, a new world awakens." Fans immediately recognized the phrase as a reference to the narration from EXO's debut music video "MAMA," suggesting the group plans to expand their elaborate fictional universe that has been central to their concept since debut.

The timing of the teaser release has added another layer of intrigue for devoted fans. The announcement coincided with a total lunar eclipse, a recurring motif that has appeared throughout EXO's music videos and promotional materials over the years. This celestial timing has deepened speculation about the thematic direction of their upcoming project.

Since 2019, when members Xiumin and D.O. first enlisted for their mandatory military service, EXO has been unable to promote as a complete group. The situation will officially change on September 20 when Sehun completes his service, marking the end of the group's forced hiatus. Earlier this year, member Kai was discharged from his military duties, and group leader Suho had previously hinted that EXO was actively preparing for a long-awaited comeback, which significantly raised fan expectations worldwide.

One of the biggest questions surrounding the December comeback centers on whether Lay Zhang will participate in group activities. Lay announced his departure from SM Entertainment in April 2022 after spending a decade with EXO, but he has maintained relationships with his former bandmates by appearing at several members' solo concerts. Speculation about his potential return intensified after Suho attended Lay's solo concert in Nanjing, fueling hopes among international fans that he might rejoin the group for this highly anticipated comeback.

Equally uncertain is the participation of the CBX subunit, consisting of members Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin, who are currently embroiled in a complex legal dispute with SM Entertainment. In June 2023, CBX announced their intention to leave SM Entertainment and join INB100, a company founded by Baekhyun. The trio sent SM Entertainment a formal notice demanding settlement records while simultaneously notifying the company of their intention to terminate their exclusive contracts.

SM Entertainment responded aggressively to CBX's departure attempt, accusing Big Planet Made Entertainment of contract tampering and filing a lawsuit against the three members seeking to enforce their existing contracts. CBX countered with their own legal action, suing SM Entertainment and alleging violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, specifically citing alleged fraudulent accounting practices. This legal battle remains unresolved and continues to create uncertainty about the members' ability to participate in group activities.

Last year, EXO was forced to cancel their planned winter album release due to scheduling conflicts and internal challenges within the group and company. With the December comeback now officially teased, excitement among EXO's global fanbase has reached fever pitch, though the uncertainty surrounding key members' participation has left many supporters feeling both hopeful and anxious about what the reunion will ultimately look like. The comeback represents a pivotal moment for one of K-pop's most successful groups as they attempt to reunite after their longest hiatus since debut.