Sorry, but EXO will always be nine.
South Korean fans and international fans don’t always see eye to eye in every situation. This is one major example of it.
For years, the South Korean fans of SM Entertainment boy group EXO have been demanding for the removal of 2 of the group’s members—Chen and Chanyeol, for different reasons. Now that the group is soon to return with a brand-new comeback after 2 years, Korean fans are moving to protest the participation of the said members.
On Friday, May 26, 2023, “OT6” fans of EXO sent protest trucks to the SM Entertainment building to express their demands.
5/26 엑소 6인지지 트럭시위 시작했습니다 장소는 SM 엔터테인먼트 앞입니다 pic.twitter.com/zbSl2tgsOQ
— EXO-L 6인지지 총공계 (@outccout_) May 26, 2023
The sentences on the trucks are as follows: “Kick out Chen and Chanyeol who are hurting the group, stop deceiving the fans, EXO doesn’t need vicious members, Chen and Chanyeol OUT,” and “Maintain EXO’s OT6 system, promotion guarantee, Protect your artists, SM stop being bystanders.”
The fans, represented by user @/outccout_ on Twitter, released their statement detailing their demands:
The reasons why K-EXOL’s do not support Chanyeol#EXO #CHANYEOL #찬열 pic.twitter.com/iMEMJdlntL
— EXO-L 6인지지 총공계 (@outccout_) June 27, 2021
“EXO fandom (hereinafter referred as EXO-L) demands the departure of Chen (Kim Jong-dae) and Chanyeol (Park Chan-yeol) from the group. This arises from a series of controversies linked to their personal lives, which EXO-L believes are negatively impacting the group’s professional image. Since January 2020, the fandom has been relentlessly campaigning for Kim Jong-dae and Park Chan-yeol’s exit from EXO. However, SM Entertainment has maintained a deafening silence on the matter, and both artists have continued to perform under the EXO banner since their return from military service.
There is no doubt that there is a negative public opinion toward Kim Jong-dae and Park Chan-yeol, who maintained their idol activities after causing controversy over their private lives.”
In 2020, both Chen and Chanyeol were embroiled in “scandals” surrounding their personal lives. Chen had announced his premarital pregnancy and marriage to his now-wife then, much to the surprise of fans. Chen later on got married, enlisted in the military, and is now a father to 2 daughters.
Chanyeol, on the other hand, was claimed by a person claiming to be his ex-girlfriend, to have inappropriate relations with a number of women. SM Entertainment and Chanyeol did not address the issue, much to the dismay of the fans.
While Korean fans are clamoring for the removal of Chen and Chanyeol, international EXO-Ls have banded together to claim that “EXO IS NINE” all over Twitter.
THIS IS WHAT WE NEED THE MOST RN.
EXO IS NINE pic.twitter.com/yeXZ7qggun
— EXO-CBX Lawyer (@EXOs_DAESANG) May 26, 2023
EXO IS NINE pic.twitter.com/h7nXEywEyE
— LσɾԃHυɳ (@T0M0RR0W94) May 26, 2023
EXO-L must always be their protector from the antis !
EXO IS NINE !! pic.twitter.com/Ofe3s0BrQB— Myill ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ (@NAZKDLCTTN_) May 26, 2023
EXO IS NINE ❤️ https://t.co/aZTLDKuDbD pic.twitter.com/R8IiguVkz4
— 𝙄𝙉𝘽100 (@1bbyboxian) May 26, 2023
EXO doesn't need toxic fans like you, leave the fandom because until whenever EXO IS NINE ‼️ #weareoneEXO pic.twitter.com/VBw91zKEW1
— 𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐚 🐣🌸 (@oshcutemaknae) May 26, 2023
EXO IS NINE. pic.twitter.com/4fWLMSxCUK
— EXO-CBX Lawyer (@EXOs_DAESANG) May 26, 2023
"EXO IS NINE" IS TRENDING THAT'S RIGHT TELL THE WHOLE WORLD!! pic.twitter.com/BCzXE2DIRX
— bria 💫 (@erixexo9) May 26, 2023
EXO IS NINE pic.twitter.com/t0BphddytF
— Carmz (@ellimrac0101) May 26, 2023
If you can’t accept that EXO IS NINE then….. pic.twitter.com/ohsRjN05Re
— B✨ (@ainthami_) May 26, 2023
EXO IS NINE! EXO-L ALWAYS LOVE CHANYEOL AND CHEN!!!!!! ❤️🫶🏻 pic.twitter.com/CjLvyDSc1y
— Miftah🍒👑 (@exoloey_) May 26, 2023
Here’s ChanChen to cleanse my/our timeline. EXO is NINE or NONE!
— 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝔂 ♡ 🍒 (@iwannaMARYou) May 26, 2023
EXO IS NINE OR NONE! pic.twitter.com/NxhseVC8zG
— (╥﹏╥) 🇵🇸 (@HumanPeachKai) May 26, 2023
HATE THEM ALL U WANT, CHANCHEN WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF EXO. EXO IS NINE!! pic.twitter.com/YrLW50BNpk
— sel (@exo_bvsly) May 26, 2023
EXO ARE NINE AND EXO WILL REMAIN NINE MEMBERS
IN THE EXO GROUP THERE
XIUMIN
SUHO
LAY
BAEKHYUN
CHEN
CHANYEOL
D.O.
KAI
SEHUN
EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
WE WILL ALWAYS WE ARE ONE EXO AND EXOL 🤍🤍🤍🤍 pic.twitter.com/riFfrqI4Sq— BD'.ㅅ ' ✨(Rest) (@byun_na92baek) May 26, 2023
Again, EXO will always be nine. If you can’t support all of them, then you’re not an EXO-L.
Other POP! stories you might like:
PH EXO-Ls turn the Big Dome into a ‘Rodeo Station’ during EXO-SC Manila visit
POC Swifties frown upon Taylor Swift’s romantic involvement with controversial Matt Healy
So you like rap but can’t stand heavy metal? Science can help you understand why
