EXO’s December comeback sparks questions over Lay's return, CBX participation

EXO / Xportsnews

EXO has set the K-pop world abuzz after dropping a surprise teaser announcing a December comeback, just 12 days before the group’s youngest member, Sehun, completes his mandatory social service.

At 1:26 a.m. on Monday, EXO’s official social media account posted a mysterious teaser poster with the phrase “DECEMBER 2025” and the cryptic tagline, “When we become true one, a new world awakens.”

Fans noted that the line references the narration from the music video for EXO’s debut song “MAMA," hinting at an expansion of the group’s long-standing fictional universe. The timing of the teaser — released during a total lunar eclipse, a motif often used in EXO’s storylines — further deepened fan curiosity.

Return after years of military service

Since 2019, when Xiumin and D.O. enlisted, EXO has been unable to promote as a full group. That will change on Sept. 20 when Sehun completes his service, officially marking the end of the group’s “military hiatus.”

Earlier this year, Kai was discharged, and members including Suho hinted that EXO was preparing for a long-awaited comeback, raising expectations among fans.

EXO / Xportsnews

Will Lay rejoin EXO?

Attention now turns to whether Lay Zhang will participate in the December comeback. Lay announced his departure from SM Entertainment in April 2022 after a decade with EXO, but he has recently appeared at the solo concerts of several members.

Speculation intensified after Suho attended Lay’s solo concert in Nanjing, fueling hopes among global fans that Lay might rejoin the group for this highly anticipated comeback.

Uncertainty around CBX’s participation

There is also growing curiosity about whether the CBX subunit — Chen, Baek Hyun, and Xiumin — will join group promotions, given their ongoing legal dispute with SM Entertainment.

In June 2023, CBX announced their departure from SM to join INB100, a company founded by Baek Hyun, and sent SM a formal notice demanding settlement records while notifying them of the termination of their exclusive contracts.

EXO's CBX subunit / Xportsnews

SM responded by accusing Big Planet Made Entertainment of tampering and has filed a lawsuit against CBX seeking to enforce their contracts. CBX, in turn, has countersued SM, alleging violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes over alleged fraudulent accounting practices. The legal battle remains unresolved.

Last year, EXO canceled plans for a winter album due to scheduling conflicts and internal challenges. With the December comeback now teased, excitement among global fans is high, though uncertainty around member participation has left followers both hopeful and anxious.

This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.