Xiumin, Baekhyun, and Chen continue to fight back against SM Entertainment. The EXO members issued a new statement regarding the decision to terminate their exclusive contracts. Their legal representative responded to SM’s claims that a third party influenced the termination.
Xiumin, Baekyun, and Chen Issue New Statement In Response to SM Entertainment
Lee Jae Hak of the law firm LIN is the lawyer representing Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen. They issued a statement on behalf of Byun Baek Hyun, Kim Min Seok, and Kim Jong Dae in response to SM Entertainment’s recent claims.
EXO's Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin say SM Ent. claims are “no different from telling them to never exercise their legitimate rights” and is “an act of distorting and misleading the key point of this incident.” pic.twitter.com/Oj1CwkXRMT
— Pop Base (@PopBase) June 2, 2023
The statement addresses five points starting with SM Entertainment’s “claim of an external influence’s intervention.”
“Our artists are definitely adults who can think for themselves and take responsibility for their own decisions, and they are individuals with independent thoughts and judgments,” it read.
“They have felt some doubts for a decade, and they mustered up fearful and difficult courage with the thought that the questions they couldn’t dare bring up as rookies should at least be brought up now.”
“Our artists asked and listened to many people around them about what is right and what they need to do to find wise solutions. Of those people around them, there are family and acquaintances, seniors and juniors of the music industry, colleagues, and even staff who have worked together with the artists.”
The statement also addresses SM Entertainment’s claims that Xiumin, Baekhyun, and Chen tried to sign contracts with other companies.
Xiumin & Chen were forced to sign long-term contracts that span >10 years, SM pushes for their artists to sign subsequent contracts which results in long-term contracts that span >17-18 years, SM artists are unable to negotiate the terms of their contract on equal footing… 💆🏻♀️🤬 pic.twitter.com/pKvghPR2bv
— 쉰花 ❄️ (@xunhuas) June 1, 2023
“SM is claiming that our artists have signed or attempted to sign dual contracts, but the three individuals Baekhyun, Chen, and Xiumin have not signed or attempted to sign other exclusive contracts besides their current exclusive contracts signed with SM. SM must refrain from making false claims,” it read.
Xiumin, Baekhyun, and Chen Criticize SM For Mishandling Contract Termination
The statement continued by criticizing the way SM Entertainment had handled the situation.
“SM not even providing settlement data, and their legal representative and other celebrities advising them about the injustice of this situation. This inevitably raises the question of who should be criticizing the wrongdoing of who in this situation.”
“We would like to state again that the essence and truth of this case is that the artists and their legal representative have consistently requested the provision of settlement data, but SM eventually refused, which has led to contract termination.”
In the end, the statement confirms that Byun Baek Hyun, Kim Min Seok, and Kim Jong Dae plan to continue EXO group activities. The singers have proposed ideas on how they can keep promoting with EXO after leaving SM Entertainment.
EXO-CBX's lawyer shares Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin will still promote actively under EXO even if they're leaving SM Entertainment
EXO-CBX members will proceed with music video filming for EXO's upcoming comeback on today
Source: https://t.co/tH5Udcl5b3 & https://t.co/Ge7kWgskW3 pic.twitter.com/PIYahoP9Xy
— The Seoul Story (@theseoulstory) June 2, 2023
On June 1, Xiumin, Baekhyun, and Chen notified SM Entertainment regarding the termination of their exclusive contracts. The statement was delivered by their legal representative. SM has since refuted the EXO members’ basis for contract termination.