“Maintain EXO’s OT6 system”: Korean EXO-Ls demand removal of Chen and Chanyeol, send protest trucks to SM Entertainment

Some South Korean fans of the veteran K-pop group EXO demanded the removal of two members, Chen and Chanyeol, from the group ahead of their upcoming comeback. On Friday, May 26, in Korean Standard Time, protest trucks were sent to SM Entertainment’s building to mark the start of their protests.

The protest trucks will apparently be on the streets for a few days, as Twitter user @outccout_’s caption states that the demonstration started on May 26. They are the same netizen who also held protests in 2021. The caption says:

Internal fanwar break out between Korean and international fans after the former sent protest trucks demanding Chen and Chanyeol’s removal from EXO

EXO’s fandom was recently on cloud nine after SM Entertainment and leader Suho mentioned that the singers would be making a full group comeback. The happiness lasted only a while as SM Entertainment announced KAI’s sudden enlistment. While that was disheartening, international fans’ frustrations increased when photos of protest trucks organized by Korean fans spread on Twitter.

The Korean fans of EXO sent the trucks to demand that the group remove two of its members, Chen and Chanyeol. The group consists of Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun. Lay left SM Entertainment in April 2022, but there was no direct confirmation of whether he was leaving the group.

However, it was clear that South Korean fans saw the group as having only eight members. It was also clear through the trucks that South Korean fans still held inhibitions regarding Chen and Chanyeol.

The reason behind the removal was Chen and Chanyeol’s personal life controversies. In 2020, Chen announced that he had a non-celebrity girlfriend and would marry her as she was expecting their child. Demands from Korean fans about his removal from the group have been frequent since then. Chen is now a father of two children.

In October 2020, Chanyeol was swept up in cheating allegations by someone claiming to be his ex-girlfriend. The person alleged that Chanyeol slept around with ten women while being in a relationship with her. She also made allegations about him threatening, gaslighting, and verbally abusing her.

Neither the idol nor the agency released any statement about the situation until he enlisted in the military in March 2021. Later, SM Entertainment released a statement announcing legal action against “false information.”

However, South Korean fans were still vehemently against Chen and Chanyeol’s inclusion in the group. They believe that the duo ruined the group’s reputation and continue to do so.

On the other hand, international fans expressed their frustration with the protests and said that the people hosting the demonstration were not “fans.” Many even said that the people who demand the removal of two members should just unfollow them. One fan even mentioned that these protest trucks wouldn’t damage their careers.

Meanwhile, KAI’s sudden enlistment left both international and Korean fans heartbroken. They criticized the agency for its lack of management and planning. Exact details of EXO’s comeback this year have yet to be released.

About the author

Afreen has been a K-Pop Content Specialist at Sportskeeda since 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, along with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. Afreen has over 4+ years of working in various positions including being an entertainment content writer with Pinkvilla’s K-pop division Hallyutalk and CineDope, and as a copywriter at Flying Cursor.

As per Afreen, she loves her work because she gets to write about the things she is obsessed with. Her thorough research and following the two-genuine-source rule of journalism helps her produce the most accurate content, along with helping her be up-to-date with the industry.

Afreen has had the privilege to interview The Rose's frontrunner, WOOSUNG, and LIONESSES, K-pop's first openly LGBTQ+ group. She is a big fan of SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, BTS, and The Rose for their hard work, sincerity, and the comic relief their shows provide.

When she is off her shift, Afreen explores the streets of Nottingham in the UK, cooks, and listens to new music.

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