EXO CBX
It has been confirmed that SM ENTERTAINMENT has carried out a provisional seizure of the assets of the members of the group EXO CHEN, BAEKHYUN, and XIUMIN (CBX).
According to Biz Hankook on February 11, the seizure concerns several assets of the members: CHEN’s security deposit for his residence, BAEKHYUN’s apartment in Guri, Gyeonggi, and XIUMIN’s apartment in Yongsan, Seoul.
The total amount claimed by SM ENTERTAINMENT amounts to 2.6 billion won (approximately 1,5 million d’euros), distributed as follows: 300 million for CHEN, 1.6 billion for BAEKHYUN, and 700 million for XIUMIN. This measure aims to secure the claims stipulated in the agreement signed between the two parties on June 18, 2023, which stated that 10% of the revenue from the individual activities of the three artists must be paid to SM ENTERTAINMENT. The provisional seizure prevents the debtors from freely disposing of their assets.
In 2023, a conflict had arisen regarding their exclusive contracts: CHEN had notified his termination citing a lack of transparency in accounting and excessively stringent contractual terms, while SM ENTERTAINMENT claimed to have provided all information and accused the parent company of INB100, Big Planet Made Entertainment, of manipulation.
A compromise had been reached: group activities would continue under SM ENTERTAINMENT, while individual activities would be managed by a separate company, with 10% of the revenue paid to SM ENTERTAINMENT.
However, in June 2024, CBX stated that SM ENTERTAINMENT had not honored the agreement guaranteeing a 5.5% commission rate on album and digital content distribution, reigniting the conflict. A fraud complaint against the executives of SM ENTERTAINMENT had been filed but was dismissed due to lack of evidence.
The situation worsened again in 2025 when EXO’s full participation in group activities was canceled, with SM ENTERTAINMENT noting that the obligation to pay 10% of individual revenue had not been fulfilled.
This provisional seizure could therefore reignite tensions between SM ENTERTAINMENT and CBX in a legal context, and the official response from the artists is now awaited.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: SNS INB100
