Is Exo a flop?

Quote from Exo_bunnie

They performed on award shows not because they wanted to win but because fans wanted to see them.

"Crown" did receive five music show wins, so that's something.

EXO is not a flop, EXO are survivors. They have accomplished great things during their career and are still able to do great things, regardless of the line-up or the absences.

I've always said everyone in EXO pulls their weight so I'm not that worried when other fans cry over the lack of this or that vocal.

As long as EXO exists, I'll be their fan.

The only important question we should ask about ANY group or soloist, not just EXO, is this:

Are they making good music or not? If they do, nothing else matters. Charts are only for the short-term.

Chart wise? Right now yes, but this shouldn't be a problem.

They are legends in k-pop, they already did a lot for the genre and their music will always be great!

I am actually bts and txt fan. But I will give it to exo. With all the up and downs in the last 5 years exo are still giving it all for their fans solo or in group, which I appreciate. I like groups who do not fake it(most new gen just does not feel authentic). Sm really screws up its groups even with so much talent. I used to love RV so much.

For me flopping is not living up to their potentially not really a comparison against other groups.

EXO flopped with this album because the album was bad. And they didn’t deliver what they could have.

If you think EXO is only capable of this much that’s your opinion. For me I expect more from EXO musically which they didn’t deliver and imo many people feel that way as well or they would have performed better on many streaming charts. And again this is not comparing them against new groups or anything this is based on their own potential.

as I've said it numerous times - there are many definitions of the word "flop" - for example SK charting wise

1. to not chart at all - fairly obvious that if one fails to enter the charts at all then it's a flop

2. to not chart as well as previous songs - this is fairly understandable that if a group had a PAK for one song but the next song only made it (let's say to the top 20) then one might argue that since the song didn't do as well as previously then it's a flop

3. to not chart as well compared to their peers - the question who one's peers are is important since charting is by it's very definition about who one is higher or lower than...some people will say if x charted worse than y then x is a flop

4. to not chart as well as expectations (this is the most subjective) - here a group flops because there is an expectation that certain groups will perform well whether based on prior success or company reputation...this generally applies to the larger or more popular groups - ie. if IU failed to chart (maybe) in the top 5 then one might argue that because of IU's prior successes then her level of expectations is much higher than a lesser known artist or group...

now specifically in regards to EXO - I don't know how well they charted or sold so but if isaidisaid and mona said it didn't do that well charting they that could be seen as a "flop" K charting wise...

Quote from Exo_bunnie

You don't like it fine. You can say it. But there are many comments that Exo is back to their old sound. I personally put this as my top 2 and I'm not bias. Since when does what the mass like correlate to good quality music.

now the specific question you asked "is exo a flop" - is that question not designed to be a more objective standard since obviously like you said whether a song is good or bad is completely subjective and thus no song can ever be good or bad objectively.

Would you not consider the question of whether a song or group flops has to be measure by something capable of being measured (aka charting or album sales?)

Quote from soshilovelife

survivors

Quote from Exo_bunnie

I think you all must know that I am quite old and not the your young Kpop fan. Exo is 13 years old. The boys age I think is 35 the eldest. When you are young you measure charts. When you are old, the defination of success changes. They were doing hard cheroegraphy dancing at the age of 35. Do you not considered that as success. When you get older, a lot of your body parts fail you. To be able to still dance at that age, I put my hats off to them. Music, they are not aim at pleasing the mass anymore. They have already hit that high. Yes, you can still do it but what for? Parhaps those who are driven by no. 1 and hitting the charts want to still do that but I think that is not Exo's goal anymore. As a user said, they are ageing gracefully, they have done their best and if I'm in their shoes. No regret. They can survive without Exo. I don't know if you follow them but individually they can make enough money to be confortable. They take on the mantel of Exo because they never forget their roots and what Exo means to them and their fans. When they performed Growl, many Koreans said Exo is my youth. I grew up listening to them. I feel like I'm back to my school days. Exo is not finnish. They are still running but at a slower pace for a different goal now. I admire Suju even though ppl say a lot of bad things about them. They are still doing what they love 20 years later and have sold out concerts in Asia. Once in a while they release a album. My defination of success when you are old is not charts or streaming. It's how you run the race. And I think Exo has to be proud of that. They always give their best and that should be an inspiration to their fans. My prayer for them is to be happy and sing and dance till they are old. Because that is what they love.

And finally their music. It is subjective. It is what I like. I think the latest album more geared towards older style. Perhaps that is not what sound the new generation like. For a oldie like me I loved that they went back to their old sound. I did not think it was bad or lacking. In fact, I think it is one of their best.

Exo like Suju will always have their fans. As long as Exo exist, I will always be their fan because their music is what I love, their work ethics and love for their fans is what I admire.

firstly I'm not an exo fan but I have listened to 90% of their discography as evidence by my thread in the EXO guild lol

I'm older than you my friend lol (I'm 42 this year!!!) but then again I got into kpop only in 2019

I think the issue in question isn't exo per se but the definition and title of this thread - the question being asked is specifically did exo flop and I pointed out the general definitions of the word flop (as it relates to K charting)

everything you mentioned is 100% correct and especially when you say EXO is successful but again that is not the question you asked in the title...there can be many questions like

does exols like EXO's comeback? or

does exols think EXO's comeback was successful? or even

did exols think EXO gave it their all in this comeback? (in terms of content and appearances and so forth)

which I think is a different question to "is exo a flop"

No. They are just past their prime. So is everyone else in 3rd gen. You see BP underperforming, Twice unable to enter top 100 on Melon for years, RV basically disbanded and GFriend's reunion going unnoticed. I think you are focusing too much on who's above rather than who's below EXO. There are so many boygroups like SKZ, Enhypen, TXT and Ateez doing well rn while EXO isn't but if you were to make an all time list, I doubt anyone would rank these groups ahead of EXO.

EXO is a top 3 boygroup who once had huge potential to be #2. You don't have to compare them to BTS/Bigbang and feel bad cuz they aren't doing as well as those two. IMO, there isn't much that will change in the overall boy group hierarchy. And that means EXO will remain a top 3 group! Which is good enough.

Wait so how many members are actually left in EXO I lost count

Exo_bunnie

based on your information it does seem overall (for this comeback) exo did not "flop" since by the combined metrics exo did pretty well

however there might be areas where they "underperformed" - such as K charting maybe??? However just because they flop or underperformed in one area does not necessarily mean they flopped overall.

although different to yourself I do like numbers but I'm not a numbers guy per se - what I mean by that is I like numbers because it is the only thing that can be objectively determined in kpop (or otherwise) but I don't keep a good track of numbers (even for my favs)

numbers don't lie it's how one interprets it that matter!!!

also like vzal said - there is a difference between EXO's overall (ie. over their entire career) vs this latest comeback's performance. There might also be a difference between underperformance and flop (although it might be just semantics).

Quote from Exo_bunnie

I am a busy working person with a department to manage and a family to take care of. I'm really busy and do not have time to keep track of receipts of achievement and records. I come to this forum whenever I have time in between work to catch up on things which interest me.

Recently there are a some thread on the 3rd generation idols including Exo which has surface. Perhaps its because they have comeback and BTS and Blackpink had their comeback too.

Exo has taken a year to work on this comeback. It was for the end of their military period. We had Lay after so long so it should be celebrated. When they did the MMA performance, they gave it their all even with injuries for Chanyeol. The performance was not for fame, clicks or awards or promotion. It was for EXOL who loved watching them perform on a big scale TV broadcast. It had the all the glitter and and nostalgic themes , lights and big big dance. Exo said we did it because we are Exo and there are EXOL who waited for us. So, they gave back to their fans, what we waited so long to see.

Then their comeback, it was also for fans who waited for them. They modestly hit charts and was nominated for award shows. They performed on award shows not because they wanted to win but because fans wanted to see them. They won I can't remember how many and it was the fans gift to them. They never asked for it or expected it. They were happy because it was the fans expression of love for them.

This comeback is marred with the absence of CBX. Fandom was divided and fans of CBX blame the 6 for continuing to promote without them. Fan groups boycotted this comeback. They say Exo is 9. I will be practical here. No matter who is at fault it is now at the goodwill of SM to allow CBX back into the group. Even if they win the contested appeal on royalties unless there is a contract binding SM to take them back, I highly doubt SM will take them back. I doubt SM will cave to fan's pressure especially now that the 6 have proven Exo can survive without CBX.

My self, I am fine with either 6 or 9. CBX does not define Exo and Exo is not just CBX. The remaining boys have worked hard and proven they can carry Exo.

Again, I will come back to why I have written this thread. Non fans have mentioned the downfall of Exo and even fans say they have flopped when they are not 9.

It saddens me Exo has never fallen, not now and not then. They may not hit global heights like BTS and Blackpink, but they had many achievements at home and in Asia. They may not have inspiring lyrics but they made fans happy with their music and variety. They never burdened their fans with their troubles, the only time I heard them even express is now when they said this comeback was hard. They really had to push themselves and keep saying let's trust each other. I believe it was because of the lost of 2 main singers to carry them. But they did it because they are Exo and fans waited for them. They stayed strong and carried the name of Exo.

They may not hit the heights of BTS and Blackpink but they made fans happy. They made me happy when I'm stress or down. When Growl plays or the First Snow plays in South Korean, every Korean know it is Exo.

So, after 13 years, is a old group considered a flop and failure if they don't hit the heights of mega groups? No, individually, each member has their own achievement as solo singers, OST singers or actors. They are beyond the kpop race.

They are happy now. Able to tour, meet fans and joke around. Suho can now say he is a huge fan of Big Bang when he couldn't before because he is in SM and he has all their songs.

Probably no one is going to read this but I don't care. Exo is beyond the rat race. They have cemented their legacy and now can freely say they like Big Bang.

This comeback is not a flopped because they made fans happy and gave the performance of their life. However, the best is yet to come.

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To know whether Exo is flopping or not, they need to be compared to other 13 year old groups who lost 2 of the most popular members 2 years after debut and 3 of the most popular members in China, their biggest market after Korea and still managed to conquer the Asian market in general for about 5 years consecutively. They lost 1 more, most popular member and 2 of the 3 main vocalists and a main visual of the 9 remaining members shortly before their 13th anniversary and still sold a million, sold out their concerts and are still loved no matter all that they've been through.

Which other 13 year old group has been through such and is still standing or doing as well?

As for REVERXE, personally, it's not my fav album from them because while it's a R&B masterpiece, it's on the loud hip hop side not the soft, emotional R&B I'm used to getting from them which is ok because they never do the same concept twice and it's ok to go with what they are given because that's what they have to work with given their circumstances. The album was well done imo, I have no complaints.

Could Exo do better than REVERXE?, hell yes because all members are much better, talent wise than they were before or during their last comeback, is REVERXE sub par, not at all.

Could CBX add something special to REVERXE? 100%. Is it anything less without CBX? Hell no! The remaining 6 did justice to it and owned it.

Exo are in their own league and as a fan, there's nothing that anyone can say to make me feel otherwise. I love their discography, no other boy groups come close and that's it for me!