Kyungsoo is officially leaving SM

  • He will continue working with SM as EXO member while his solo activities will be managed by his new company which is founded by former SM manager

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    Apparently that manager was with exo from the start and is well liked figure among exo fans?

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    Congratulations to Kyungsoo! ExoLTaglist

  • Apparently his new agency will be called SooSoo entertainment, this man can't be serious lmao

    The director's name is Nam Kyungsoo and apparently he is the one that helped D.O. pick his acting roles. He also always thanks him during award speeches. The fact that the company is gonna be called Soosoo company is so funny lol.

  • So, SM would never let any Exo members left unless they establish their own company or going through tough lawsuit battle like C-line? What an evil company. SM know it will easier to still controlling the members or even soft block them from the industry because they didn't have anyone behind their back or big power to protect them.

  • The director's name is Nam Kyungsoo and apparently he is the one that helped D.O. pick his acting roles. He also always thanks him during award speeches. The fact that the company is gonna be called Soosoo company is so funny lol.

    SooSoo name is so unserious but with this backstory it is so endearing!

    ~ Retired exol, don't ask me about that group. ~

  • So, SM would never let any Exo members left unless they establish their own company or going through tough lawsuit battle like C-line? What an evil company. SM know it will easier to still controlling the members or even soft block them from the industry because they didn't have anyone behind their back or big power to protect them.

    I just don't understand WHY it has to be their own company, there are people who don't want to manage their own company and deal with all that :facepalm:


    But it is what it is for now. In future they will probably have some new opportunities.

    ~ Retired exol, don't ask me about that group. ~

  • Finally


    Baekhyun also showed intentions of creating his on company. Fingers crossed he can sort things out to release a new album ASAP unrelated to SM

    I think he is out of SM 100%


    This collab with LOL... I doubt SM would be that generous lmao


    He also said his album is dropping before April 2024 and it will be full of r&b and to expect boss Baekhyun hehe

    ~ Retired exol, don't ask me about that group. ~

  • Kfans (and some ifans) did CBX so dirty with all the "traitors and greedy" insults and feeling bad for the other innocent members who knew nothing about it at all.


    Turns out kyungsoo, chanyeol and sehun knew all about it and were in the process of establishing their own companies this whole time.

    All exo members were aware of everything, this is what they negotiated with SM.

    ~ Retired exol, don't ask me about that group. ~

  • So, SM would never let any Exo members left unless they establish their own company or going through tough lawsuit battle like C-line? What an evil company. SM know it will easier to still controlling the members or even soft block them from the industry because they didn't have anyone behind their back or big power to protect them.

    One of the most bizarre things in Kpop to me is how EXO has been treated by SM.

    They were huge, and I mean HUGE. How can you not promote them properly, while having such a long established company? Why act as if they don't exist?


    That's like trying to promote Spain and pretending the beaches don't exist.

  • So, SM would never let any Exo members left unless they establish their own company or going through tough lawsuit battle like C-line? What an evil company. SM know it will easier to still controlling the members or even soft block them from the industry because they didn't have anyone behind their back or big power to protect them.

    D.O.'s contract ended, the Chinese members tried (and succeeded in their way) to break their 10 year contracts like 3 years in. Of course SM opposed that. D.O. isn't actually creating the company himself, he's signing to a new agency created by a longtime SM Executive Director (it's not a manager like being reported earlier), it's more like Kyuhyun signing to Antenna than Baek's plan of starting his own agency by himself (D.O. won't be CEO of SooSoo).


    It would be impossible for SM to block Ksoo in Korean entertainment at this point, especially because everyone knows his contract is up in early November. CBX were painted as such villains because SM spun it as them trying to break the deal they had just signed months ago.


    You can compare it to Lay's situation the best. SM let Lay leave without a fight because he did all 10 years; but the difference between Lay and D.O. is that Lay didn't sign a contract to stay under SM as an EXO member like D.O. is doing.

  • D.O.'s contract ended, the Chinese members tried (and succeeded in their way) to break their 10 year contracts like 3 years in. Of course SM opposed that. D.O. isn't actually creating the company himself, he's signing to a new agency created by a longtime SM Executive Director (it's not a manager like being reported earlier), it's more like Kyuhyun signing to Antenna than Baek's plan of starting his own agency by himself (D.O. won't be CEO of SooSoo).


    It would be impossible for SM to block Ksoo in Korean entertainment at this point, especially because everyone knows his contract is up in early November. CBX were painted as such villains because SM spun it as them trying to break the deal they had just signed months ago.


    You can compare it to Lay's situation the best. SM let Lay leave without a fight because he did all 10 years; but the difference between Lay and D.O. is that Lay didn't sign a contract to stay under SM as an EXO member like D.O. is doing.

    So basically the same thing with what I said but with more word? The purpose of SooSoo for now is still solely for Kyungsoo. Lay's also going through the same situation with Kyungsoo, he have established his own company before the contract end. There's rumours about Baekhyun too will doing the same thing even if he still under sm.


    Members that out of SM:

    C-line: Lawsuit

    Kyungsoo and Lay: Both establish their own company to manage them, not just simply changing company like most idols did


    Cbx: Stop lawsuit but there's rumours Baekhyun will open his own company


    Tell me this is not a pattern?


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    I found this in Twitter, not that far from what I said because current Exo members obviously still want to promote together as Exo.



    And why it's impossible to block him? SM have relationship with Kakao now who has control over a lot of things in Korea. What I mean by soft block is something not that obvious. Like in term of chart, messing up with sales, shipment and a lot more things. They also can subtly make him stop from appearing in any variety shows or acting.

  • these things always confuse me. If they want to leave the company that means something is wrong. Why leave but still agree to participate in group activities? It sounds like their lives will all still be attached to the company anyway. It's a bit like what the Mamamoo members did.


    BTW I'm not a solo stan or anything, I'm generally just curious why some idols do this. Because if they leave the company it means they're not happy with the way the management is going, but that will still happen due to group activities.


    Taking this into account I wonder if this could possibly happen with Blackpink.

  • these things always confuse me. If they want to leave the company that means something is wrong. Why leave but still agree to participate in group activities? It sounds like their lives will all still be attached to the company anyway. It's a bit like what the Mamamoo members did.


    BTW I'm not a solo stan or anything, I'm generally just curious why some idols do this. Because if they leave the company it means they're not happy with the way the management is going, but that will still happen due to group activities.


    Taking this into account I wonder if this could possibly happen with Blackpink.

    From artistic point of view maybe it makes sense? I don’t think SM’s treatment of EXO as an idol group was anything bad no matter what anyone tells you. They were SM’s flagship group, they got to work with the best of producers and have the best concert and stages.


    But for solos. SC or maybe even Chen and Xiumin want their musical freedom, Baekhyun wants to do a lot of non music things he wants his own company for example for clothing and dancing, Kyungsoo is a great actor whose need an acting focused agency etc


    It is extremely logical that SM ENT can’t fulfill all the solo aspirations that EXO members have.


    This should imo be the norm in KPOP.

  • Right, I agree with everything you said. But still, why keep being part of EXO then? This means they'll still have to deal with SM's way of doing things? It might even hinder their solo aspirations.

  • I think EXO are very aware that their identities are tied to the EXO brand and since the beginning were very clear that their intention was never to break “EXO”


    Not CBX, not SC, not Kyungsoo


    Anyway I love my CHILDREN (she says of fully grown adult men)


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  • Right, I agree with everything you said. But still, why keep being part of EXO then? This means they'll still have to deal with SM's way of doing things? It might even hinder their solo aspirations.

    I don’t understand what you’re asking? EXO is an SM group meaning SM is a HUGE part of EXO. No other company can do EXO. But many other companies or the company of their choosing can do the members solos. That’s all there is to it. And I think EXO know this.


    Like for me I 1000000% don’t want the EXO brand to be outside of SM. Musically, artistically EXO is an SM ENT group.


    I don’t see it as hinder. EXO members solo popularity is derived from them being in EXO and they know this. They’ve mentioned it also. That they’re most profitable and that they’re more recognized as exo members. And “EXO” (the brand) can’t exist without SM of this I have no doubt. There are groups that move their whole brand outside of company but imo I don’t think this is right for EXO nor will it work for EXO. Moving solos is easier because they can all individually choose which company. Since anyway they need some company to do manage their group effort why not it be SM. SM is the best company to release EXO music and do EXO content there is no one else who can do it better. Hence this is the most logical set up for everyone. And should be be norm in kpop as well.

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