“Love how unserious EXO is as a group”: Fans surprised as EXO spotted at airport, confirmed to film a reality show amidst lawsuit

On Thursady, June 8, EXO’s fans were surprised to see the group's seven members -- Xiumin, Suho, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., and Sehun -- at the Gimpo Airport. While it is public knowledge that the group will make their much-awaited comeback excluding Kai, them being spotted at an airport raised several questions among fans’ minds.

On the same day, SM Entertainment confirmed that the seven members were traveling to film a group reality series. The announcement took the K-pop fandom by storm, as many wondered about the conversations behind it while others looked forward to the content. Some fans gave mixed reactions as the members were going to film the reality show in the midst of a legal battle that has shaken up SM Entertainment.

Fans couldn’t help but ponder upon how “unserious” the group was, considering they were all traveling to film content with the same agency and staff that they filed a lawsuit against.

The news of a group reality show arrived eight days after EXO's three members, Xiumin, Baekhyun, and Chen, sued SM Entertainment for non-transparency of pay and slave contracts. The trio also announced the termination of their current contracts with the agency.

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"I hope exo be so unhinged during the reality show": SM Entertainment confirms EXO filming a seven-member reality show, fans confused but celebrate the news

Veteran K-pop idol group EXO has been in the news since May 2023 for a variety of reasons. Kai’s sudden enlistment, Korean fans’ protest trucks for demanding removal of Chen and Chanyeol, and Xiumin, Baekhyun, and Chen announcing legal action against SM Entertainment - this year has been a rollercoaster ride for Growl singers’ fans.

A little ray of sunshine appeared on June 8 when seven EXO members, Xiumin, Suho, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., and Sehun, excluding Kai (currently serving in the military) were spotted at the Gimpo Airport. While one section of the fans drooled over the artists’ looks, another section joked about the group going on a schedule with the agency that three of their members sued.

As Twitter user @yooliest said, fans hope that the show is "so unhinged" can’t wait for their upcoming “feel good reality show” while cheering for the trio to win the lawsuit. Take a look at how other fans reacted to the news.

The new show's news, as reported by Newsen, shook the group's fandom, since it would mark the first time that all seven members would be seen together in a content series since 2019.

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Meanwhile, speculations about EXO’s much-awaited full-group comeback being postponed also spread like wildfire on June 1 after Xiumin, Baekhyun, and Chen announced legal action against SM Entertainment. Fans’ disappointment and anger increased against the company but they were soon relieved as the agency officially stated that the group’s comeback music video filming was to continue as scheduled.

As for Xiumin, Baekhyun, and Chen’s future, the trio informed fans about their desire to stay with the group, irrespective of the outcome of their legal dispute.