In a surprising turn of events, EXO member Lay (Zhang Yixing) pulled out of the group’s fan meeting in Korea at the last minute—and now reports confirm he boarded a flight back to China in the early hours of December 14.
The timing of Lay’s exit has ignited speculation online. Although his agency, SM Entertainment, stated the reason was “personal circumstances,” many believe there’s more beneath the surface.
SM scrambled to issue a statement via Weverse, “Due to unavoidable circumstances, Lay will unfortunately not be able to participate in the fan meeting.” The company added, “We kindly ask for your understanding regarding the sudden change in participating members, especially to fans who have waited and shown support for a long time.” They also offered full refunds for any fans who chose to cancel their tickets.
Behind the scenes, however, the situation appears more politically charged. Following China’s revival of Hanhanryeong (限韓令)—a restriction on Korean content—and the newly emerging Hanilryeong (限日令), some speculate that Chinese authorities may be pressuring domestic celebrities to scale back their overseas activities.
Reportedly, after wrapping rehearsals on the 13th, Lay received a call from his contacts in China. He then told SM Entertainment he couldn’t attend and caught a flight back to China at dawn.
A source familiar with the Chinese-Korean entertainment dynamic shared: “It’s becoming more evident that the Communist Party is keeping a closer eye on Chinese stars who operate in Korea or Japan. Lay is known for his alignment with the Party, so he wouldn’t ignore direct instructions.”
Lay’s strong ties to the Chinese government have been previously noted. In 2021, during a birthday livestream, he quizzed fans on the history and symbolism of the Communist Party. Media outlets like Global Times praised him for his patriotic stance.
The fan meeting EXO’verse was scheduled to be held on December 14 at 2 PM and 7 PM KST at the Inspire Arena in Incheon, drawing significant attention from global fans. The event marked a special occasion where the group would reunite with fans in person.
However, with Lay’s unexpected withdrawal on the day of the event, only five members—Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun—are expected to take the stage. This sudden change has stirred a mixture of disappointment and concern among fans, many of whom had anticipated Lay’s rare appearance.
While the agency did not elaborate on the specific reason behind the “unavoidable circumstances,” fans have expressed both understanding and curiosity about Lay’s condition and future activities.
Lay, who has been focusing on solo promotions in China in recent years, has made infrequent appearances with EXO. His presence at EXO’verse was highly anticipated, adding to the disappointment surrounding the news.
Despite Lay’s absence, the remaining EXO members are set to proceed with the fan meeting as planned, delivering performances and moments of connection with fans as they celebrate over a decade since debut.
Sources: Daum