Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen say they are still part of EXO despite contract dispute with SM Entertainment

Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen of K-pop boyband EXO have stated their intentions to continue being members of the group despite their ongoing dispute with SM Entertainment over their contracts.

Yesterday (June 1), Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen notified SM Entertainment that they would be terminating their contracts with the agency through their lawyer Lee Jae-hak. In their statement, the trio cited “mistreatment and unfair contract terms”.

In a new statement today (June 2), released through the trio’s legal representation, Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen said that they are seeking to continue their activities as members of EXO despite their ongoing dispute with SM Entertainment.

“Separate from settling legal issues with SM, we wholeheartedly thank the fans who have sent love and support to EXO over such a long time,” the statement reads, per Korea JoongAng Daily. “However this legal battle concludes, we will faithfully, and diligently continue our group activities under the band EXO.”

Elsewhere in the statement, the trio also refuted claims SM Entertainment made yesterday. The K-pop agency had addressed the artists’ original statement, where they rebutted various allegations but the three EXO members.

Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen refuted claims that the trio have been influenced by “outside forces”, saying: “We artists are adults who are capable of thinking ourselves and responsible for the decisions that we make.”

The three EXO members’ legal representation also rebutted SM Entertainment’s claims that it had provided the artists with their requested payment information.

“Payment data is supposed to be read through slowly for 30 days, but only allowing artists to glance at it is the agency’s effort to build its justification and say, ‘We showed what we had to,'” the attorney said. “Knowing SM Entertainment’s intentions, we could not compromise by just ‘reviewing’ the data and not be ‘provided’ it like we asked.”

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