Do you think exo is as big as bts now if the members didn't have to enlist?

    As exols claim exo was not left behind due to competition but because of members enlistment.


    Discuss.

  • Moderator

    Approved the thread.

    SM held them back because no artist is allowed to be bigger than SM.


    Enlistment or no.


    They refused to push them westward back in 2016/17 when there was a demand for them and then started giving them less promos and comebacks in the years following. Even the members have commented on how much less they got in the years before their enlistments.

    Exo had their time. At their peak they were one of the biggest groups in kpop. Through that they still didn't have anywhere close to the popularity and relevance of BTS, what makes Exol think that could match it without enlistment?

    SM let them lose momentum when the moment was right, so we will never know.

    This whole held back talk is so weird. I used to be a multi stan back then, stanned bts and exo both and trust me exo was never held back.

    No demand from the west for exo.


    BTS was already demanded there without promo or US label or Big 3 privilege.


    Very stark difference.

    even if exo was pushed in the west, they will not be as big or bigger than bts.


    bts just had the right formula.

    No, BTS surpassed them way before any of Exo members enlisted. Exo was destined to be your typical SM BG. Peaked popularity at one point and then consistently doing ok because of loyal fans. Exo can’t be as big as BTS in the west because they are the epitome of Kpop cliche, and will be buried alive by western music stans.

    The time line is wrong. You make it sound like because Exo enlisted, they lose to BTS when in fact, BTS was already ahead of EXO before they started to enlist.

    Army didn’t sit back and wait for the label to do it. maybe exols should have pushed harder for them.

    another exo vs bts talk in 2022


    Exo may have never been as big as bts but they would undisputedly still be top 2 if they didn’t have the enlist. Other boy groups are enjoying their time now because exo left a void

    EXO was never pushed to the west, even when they had that little demand back then. SM cared more about their asian concerts, bc they wanted the $$$ with minimal effort.


    actually exols used to act like armys back then defending every move SM did, and that's why they could never reach their full potential in the west. Meanwhile BigHit accepted every offer given from the western music industry and that's why BTS has become so big. But I can totally see BTS going the EXO path within a few years.

    Highly doubt that. Bts are just a hard to explain phenomenon, there is no formula, not even hybe expected it. Sometimes things just "happen", stars aligning moment lol


    It's similar to companies trying to replicate Bp for ggs

    When people say this, they mean left behind by other kpop groups, not bts. Only delusional people think exo ever had a chance to become bigger than bts now

Participate now!

Don’t have an account yet? Register yourself now and be a part of our community!

Register Yourself Login