Exo (Korean: 엑소; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean–Chinese boy band based in Seoul, with

nine members: Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and Sehun. The band was
formed by SM Entertainment in 2011 and debuted in 2012. Their music incorporates genres
like pop, hip-hop, and R&B, alongside electronic dance music genres like house, trap, and synth-
pop. Exo releases and performs music in Korean, Mandarin, and Japanese. The band ranked as
one of the top five most influential celebrities on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list each year
from 2014 to 2018, and have been named "the biggest boy band in the world" and the "kings of K-
pop" by media outlets.
Since 2014, Exo has exclusively performed as one group, while continuing to release and perform
music in multiple languages. Previously, the band debuted with twelve members separated into two
sub-groups: Exo-K (Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun) and Exo-M (Xiumin, Lay,
Chen, and former members Kris, Luhan, and Tao). Exo-K and Exo-M performed music in Korean
and Mandarin, respectively, until the release of their third EP Overdose in 2014. After the departures
of Kris, Luhan, and Tao amid legal battles in 2014 and 2015, the band continued with the remaining
nine members. Since 2016, Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin have also released music and performed
as a sub-unit named Exo-CBX. All of Exo's members also maintain solo careers in fields including
music, film, and television.
Exo's first album XOXO (2013), which contains the breakthrough hit "Growl", was a critical and
commercial success. It sold over one million copies, making Exo the best-selling Korean artist in
twelve years. Subsequent albums and EPs have also had strong sales, with all Korean studio
albums each selling more than one million copies. Exo has won many awards for their albums,
including five consecutive Album of the Year wins at the Mnet Asian Music Awards and two
consecutive Artist of the Year wins at the Melon Music Awards. Exo's sixth album Don't Mess Up My
Tempo (2018) is their highest-charting album on the US Billboard 200, debuting at number 23. It is
also their best selling album with over 1.9 million copies sold in South Korea.
Since Exo's first headlining tour in 2014, the band has performed over 100 concerts across four
tours and has participated in multiple joint tours. Exo is also known for its work beyond music, which
includes endorsement deals with brands such as Nature Republic and Samsung, and philanthropic
efforts such as Smile For U, a joint SM Entertainment and UNICEF project that began in 2015, and
in which Exo continues to participate.
2011, SM Entertainment CEO, Lee Soo-man, revealed plans to debut a new boy band that would
be divided into two sub-groups, promoting the same music simultaneously in South Korea and China
by performing songs in both Korean and Mandarin.[1][2] After several member changes in December
2011, the group finalized its name as Exo, taken from the word "exoplanet".[3] The news of an
upcoming debut from SM Entertainment attracted substantial media attention from within South
Korea and internationally, with many comparing Exo to fellow SM boy band TVXQ.[4][2] It was also
reported that Exo would compete with a new girl group from rival YG Entertainment.[5]
Exo-K's leader, Suho, was the first member to join SM Entertainment, after a successful audition
through the company's casting system in 2006. The following year, Kai, with encouragement from
his father, auditioned at the SM Youth Best Contest; he won and received a contract.[6] Chanyeol,
who took second place in a Smart Model Contest, and Sehun, who went through four auditions in
two years,[7] were the next members to become trainees in 2008. In 2010, Exo-K's D.O. sang for his
audition and was eventually offered a contract.[8] The last member of Exo-K to become a trainee
was Baekhyun, who joined in 2011 through SM Entertainment's casting system and trained for
approximately one year before debut. In Exo-M, Kris auditioned in 2008 at a global SM
Entertainment audition in Canada, before moving to South Korea for training. That same
year, Lay auditioned in Changsha, China, and subsequently moved to South Korea,
while Xiumin attended an audition with his friend and won second place.[9] In 2010, Luhan was
scouted by an SM Entertainment representative in Seoul and passed his audition, while Tao was
scouted at a talent show. The last member to join Exo-M was Chen, who took part in the casting
system in 2011. The band's first televised performance was at the annual SBS Gayo Daejeon event
on December 29, 2011.[10]
Exo-K and Exo-M debuted with the single "Mama" on April 8, 2012, followed by the EP Mama on
April 9.[11] The two sub-groups promoted the album separately; Exo-K performed on South Korean
music program The Music Trend while Exo-M performed on the Top Chinese Music Awards in
Shenzhen on the same day.[12] The Korean version of the EP peaked at number one on South
Korea's Gaon Album Chart[13] and at number eight on the Billboard World Albums Chart,[14] while the
Mandarin version reached number two on China's Sina Album Chart and number one on various
Chinese streaming platforms. Prior its debut, Exo released two singles, titled "What Is Love" and
"History”, which peaked at number 88 on and number 68 respectively on the Gaon Digital Chart and
at number six on the Sina Music Chart.[15] Exo was awarded Best New Asian Group at the 2012 Mnet
Asian Music Awards and the Newcomer Award at the Golden Disc Awards.

2013–2014: Commercial success

Exo with South Korean President, Park Geun-hye in China on June 28, 2013

The group's first studio album, XOXO, was released on June 3, 2013, in two versions: one in Korean
and one in Mandarin.[16] Unlike the EP Mama, for which Exo-K and Exo-M had separate
promotions, XOXO was jointly promoted, mainly in South Korea.[17] Exo recorded the album's lead
single "Wolf" together, but the rest of the album tracks were recorded
separately.[18] A repackaged version of the album, titled Growl, was released on August 5, 2013, with
three additional tracks. New single "Growl" peaked at number three on the Billboard K-Pop Hot
100[19] and at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart. All versions of XOXO collectively sold over one
million copies, making Exo the first South Korean artists to reach that milestone in 12 years.[20] That
December, Exo released a second EP, Miracles in December, as a special winter album containing
the single of the same name.[21] Prior to the release, the group promoted the album through their first
reality show, Exo's Showtime, which premiered on November 28, 2013 on the cable channel MBC
Every 1.[22] Following their 2013 releases, Exo won Song of the Year at the Melon Music Awards for
"Growl",[23] Disc Daesang at the Golden Disc Awards[24] and Album of the Year at the Mnet Asian
Music Awards[25] for XOXO, and the Daesang at the Seoul Music Awards.[26] In addition, Exo-M
received the Most Popular Group Award at the 2013 Top Chinese Music Awards.[27]
Exo's third EP, Overdose, was released on May 7, 2014.[28] Originally scheduled to be released on
April 21, the album was delayed due to the Sewol Ferry accident on April 16. Overdose was
promoted similarly to Mama, with Exo-K in South Korea and Exo-M promoting primarily in China.
The album had over 660,000 pre-orders, making it the most pre-ordered Korean EP in history.[29] The
Korean edition also peaked at number two on Billboard's World Albums Chart, and at number 129 on
the Billboard 200, making Exo the highest-ever charting male Korean group at that
time.[30][31] Overdose became the best selling release of 2014 in South Korea, and was the first EP to
top the yearly charts and win the Album of the Year Award at the Mnet Asian Music Awards.[32] On
December 22, Exo released their first live album, Exology Chapter 1: The Lost Planet[33] The album's
single, "December, 2014 (The Winter's Tale)", peaked at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart,
making it Exo's first number one single.[34] By the end of 2014, Exo was Japan's best-selling K-pop
artist of the year.[35]
On May 15, 2014, Kris filed a lawsuit against Sm Entertainment to terminate his contract and alleged
that SM: disregarded his health; maintained unfair profit distributions; restricted his freedom; and
treated him like a product rather than a person.[36] On May 24, the group began its first headlining
tour, "Exo from Exoplanet 1 – The Lost Planet", at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena.[37] Tickets for the
concert sold out in 1.47 seconds, breaking the record for the quickest concert sell-out by a Korean
artist.[37] On October 10, Luhan also filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment to terminate his
contract.[38][39] He cited health problems and alleged he was treated differently than the band's Korean
members.[40]

2015: Critical acclaim

From left to right: D.O, Lay, and Kai at the 24th Seoul Music Awards in January 2015

On March 7, 2015, Exo began their second headlining world tour, "Exoplanet 2 – The Exo'luxion",
with 70,000 attendees across five nights at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul.[41] The group
released its second studio album Exodus on March 30, 2015, in both Korean and Mandarin
versions.[42] Domestic pre-orders for the album surpassed 500,000 copies within 24 hours, setting a
new record for pre-orders.[43] Lead single "Call Me Baby" was released ahead of schedule, on March
27, because versions of the song had been leaked online.[44] The music videos were released four
days later; the Korean version later became the most-watched K-pop music video of the first half of
2015.[45] The album spent a record four consecutive weeks at number one on the Gaon Album
Chart[46] and sold over a million copies, making it Exo's second album to do so,
after XOXO.[47] Exodus won Album of the Year at the 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards, giving Exo
their third consecutive win. In April 2015, Exodus peaked at number 95 on the US Billboard 200,
making the group the highest charting Korean artist.[48][49] Exo also entered Billboard's Canadian Hot
100 chart at number 98, making them the first K-pop group and second Korean artist to chart
there.[50]
Tao was absent during promotions for Exodus due to injuries and, on August 24, became the third
member to file a lawsuit against SM Entertainment to terminate his contract.[51][52] This followed social
media posts earlier in the year from Tao's father on Chinese social network Weibo, expressing his
wish for his son to withdraw from the group and return to China due to health issues and a lack of
support for individual career development.[51] SM responded to his legal action with a statement: "Our
company plans to use everything in our power including both Korean and Chinese legal
professionals and partners to respond legally both in Korea and China in a multi-faceted manner.
We also plan to take legal steps to respond to Tao's illegal promotions and actions."[53] Exo released
a repackaged version of Exodus, titled Love Me Right, on June 3, 2015. This edition added four new
songs, including the single "Love Me Right".[54] Due to Tao's absence, the group promoted the song
as nine members. That October, Exo became the first artists to hold a dome concert in South Korea;
it was called "Exo – Love Concert in Dome", and took place at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.[55]
On November 4, 2015, Exo released their Japanese debut single Love Me Right ~romantic
universe~, which contains the Japanese version of "Love Me Right" and an original Japanese song
titled "Drop That". On the day of its release, the album sold 147,000 copies and reached the top of
the Oricon chart, becoming the all-time best-selling debut single in Japan by a Korean artist.[56] Five
days later, Exo released a special single titled "Lightsaber" to promote the movie Star Wars: The
Force Awakens ahead of its release in South Korea, as part of a collaboration between SM
Entertainment and Walt Disney. On December 10, Exo released its second winter special release
and fourth EP, Sing for You, containing the singles "Sing for You" and "Unfair". The album sold
267,900 copies in its first week, breaking the record for the highest first-week sales by a Korean
artist. "Unfair" also became the first K-pop song to be featured in the "Best of the Week" playlist
by Apple Music, and Exo became the first Korean artists to appear on the platform's
homepage.[57] Part of the profits from the album were donated to UNICEF's Smile For U campaign, to
support the music education for children in Asia.[58] In December 2015, South Korean entertainment
industry leaders ranked Exo at number seven in the top ten pop culture leaders of 2015, the highest
rank held by a K-pop artist.[59]

2016–2017: Worldwide success

Exo at Ex'act release press conference in June 2016

On January 5, 2016, SM Entertainment won one of its countersuits against Tao following the ruling
of the Intermediate People's Court in Qingdao, China. The company sued Tao over his failure to
repay the company after his departure; it released an official statement that said: "SM has ongoing
lawsuits against Exo members Wu Yifan (Kris), Luhan, and Tao for violating their exclusive contracts
and partaking in illegal promotions in China. Among these lawsuits, SM filed a lawsuit against Tao
for failing to repay SM on October 13, 2015. An intermediate court in Qingdao, China made the
verdict that Tao is to repay SM Entertainment as well as interest for the delayed payment."[60][61]
Exo's third studio album Ex'Act and its singles, "Lucky One" and "Monster", were released on June
9, 2016, in both Korean and Mandarin versions.[62] Domestic pre-orders for the album exceeded
660,000 copies, making it the most pre-ordered K-pop album ever at that time.[63] The album broke
the record for the highest first-week sales of a Korean album, previously set by the band's own fourth
EP Sing For You.[64] "Monster" became Exo's first number one on the Billboard World Digital
Songs chart, and "Lucky One" debuted at number three.[65] On August 18, 2016, a repackaged
edition of the album, titled Lotto, was released; it added four new songs, including the single of the
same name.[66] "Lotto" became Exo's second number one on the Billboard World Digital Songs Chart,
and peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart.[67] The repackaged edition's Korean and
Mandarin versions reached number one and two on the Gaon Album Chart, respectively[68][69] Within
two months of its original release, Ex'Act had sold over 1.17 million copies, becoming Exo's third
album to sell over one million copies, earning them the title of "triple million sellers" from the
media.[70]
On July 21, contractual disputes between Kris and Luhan and SM Entertainment were
settled.[71][72] The two sides settled during their third court-mandated arbitration; the previous two were
held in September 2015 and June 2016, when the court settled the case with a recommendation for
reconciliation.[72][73] The singers will maintain their contracts with SM until 2022.[72] SM would contract
out their work outside of Korea and Japan; i.e., Kris and Luhan's Chinese agencies will "share
related revenues" with SM for activities anywhere but Korea and Japan (where SM has exclusive
rights per their contract) because SM is technically "contract[ing] out management" for its non-
Korean/Japanese activities until 2022, when their contracts with SM expire.[72]
On July 22, Exo embarked on its third headlining tour, "Exoplanet 3 – The Exo'rdium", with a record
six consecutive concerts at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena.[74] On May 28, 2017, the tour ended with
the second of two consecutive concerts at the Seoul Olympic Stadium, the largest stadium in South
Korea, with an estimated maximum seating capacity of 100,000.[75] Tickets for the first date went on
sale on April 12 and were sold out within 20 minutes.[76] The tour brought the band's total number of
concerts to over 100.[77] In June, Lay announced he would not take part in the band's next album,
and would instead focus on his acting career. Since then, he has been absent from Exo albums and
public appearances.[78] On December 7, Exo released their second Japanese single, "Coming
Over".[79] Selling over 158,000 copies, it reached number two on the weekly Oricon Chart and
became the band's second Japanese single to receive a Platinum certification from the Recording
Industry Association of Japan.[80] Exo's third winter release and fifth EP For Life was released on
December 19.[81] The band did not publicly promote the album, which sold over 442,000 copies in
less than two weeks.[82]

Exo-CBX at their debut showcase in Seoul on October 31, 2016

Also in 2016, the group's members spent time advancing their solo careers. On January 7,
Baekhyun released "Dream", a collaboration with popular South Korean singer Suzy. The single
proved very popular, and won Best Collaboration at the 18th Mnet Asian Music Awards among other
awards.[83] On October 31, Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin debuted as the group's first sub-unit, Exo-
CBX,[84] which is a combination of the first letter from each member's stage name. Exo-CBX released
their debut EP Hey Mama! and the music video for the single of the same name on October
31.[85] The EP was a success, selling over 293,897 copies.[86] As of 2018, they have released two EPs
in Korean and two EPs in Japanese.[84] Lay's debuted as a solo artist in May 2016 with the release of
"Monodrama" through the project SM Station. The song was a success in China, ranking number
one on Billboard China V Chart for four consecutive weeks.[87] On October 28, Lay released his debut
EPs, Lose Control. It was a commercial success, breaking several Guinness World Records[88] and
debuted at number one on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart.[89] In 2016 he also acted in The Mystic
Nine, a television show in China that drew over 12 billion views online.[90] All of the other members
also pursued solo activities in various industries, including music, film, television, and theater. Exo-
CBX debuted in Japan on May 24, 2017, with the release of an EP titled Girls,[91] which followed the
release of a short version of the music video for the lead single "Ka-CHING!" in late April.[92] The EP
sold over 60,000 copies in Japan within a month of its release.[93]

Exo at the Dream Concert in June 2017

Exo's fourth studio album The War was released on July 18, 2017.[94] The album had received
807,235 pre-orders, surpassing the band's own record of 660,000 for Ex'Act.[95] Lead single "Ko Ko
Bop" debuted at number one on the Melon Digital Chart, making Exo the first K-pop group to enter at
number one after chart changes were implemented on February 27, 2017.[96] Upon release, the
album recorded the highest first week sales of any K-pop album.[97] It debuted at number 87 on
the Billboard 200, number one on the Billboard World Albums Chart, and on many other charts
around the world – a first for Exo.[98][99][100] On August 29, the 2018 edition of the Guinness World
Records named Exo as having won the "Most Daesang" (grand prize) awards at the Mnet Asian
Music Awards.[101] On September 5, the group released a repackaged edition of The War, titled The
War: The Power of Music. It added three new songs to the tracklist, including the single
"Power".[102] On September 14, "Power" recorded the all-time highest score on M Countdown with
11,000 points, which made Exo the first artists to achieve a perfect score after the show's calculation
system changes were implemented in June 2015. The win also marked the group's 100th win on a
music show.[103]
On October 19, Exo announced their third world tour, "Exoplanet#4 – The EℓyXiOn", which began
with three consecutive nights at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome, beginning on November 24.[104] As of
November 30, Korean sales of The War had reportedly reached nearly 1.6 million copies, making it
Exo's best selling album at the time and earning the group the title of “quadruple million sellers” from
the media.[105][106] In early December, Exo announced its fourth special winter release and sixth
EP, Universe. It was originally due for release on December 21, but was delayed until December 26
because of the death of labelmate Jonghyun.[107]

2018–present: International recognition

Exo with the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, Ivanka Trump and CL at the 2018 Winter Olympics in
February 2018

On January 16, 2018, "Power" became the first K-pop song to play at The Dubai Fountain at Burj
Khalifa Lake, Dubai. Seven members of the group traveled to Dubai to view the first showing.[108] The
song's initial run was extended from January to March.[109] It was also brought back from September
until November of the same year.[110][111] On January 31, Exo released its first Japanese studio
album Countdown.[112] The album debuted at number one on the weekly Oricon chart, selling
approximately 89,000 copies. This achievement made Exo the first non-Japanese band whose debut
single and debut studio album both reached number one on the weekly Oricon chart.[113] Ten days
after its release, on February 9, Countdown was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association
of Japan.[114]
In early February, it was announced that Exo would perform at the closing ceremony of the 2018
Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang on February 25, serving as representatives of K-pop along
with CL.[115] Prior to the announcement, Baekhyun sang the national anthem at the opening
ceremony of the International Olympic Committee general assembly on February 5, and Exo
performed at the official D-100 Concert in late 2017, which marked 100 days until the start of the
Winter Olympics.[115][116] The band's performance drew widespread global media attention and
praise.[117] The Russian two time Olympic silver medalist and figure skating world champion Evgenia
Medvedeva also drew media attention for her support of Exo.[118] In March 2018, the Korean Mint
Corporation announced plans to create official commemorative medals for Exo, honoring the group
for their contribution to the global spread of Korean culture.[119] The nine medals, each
commemorating one of the group's members, were unveiled on April 18, at a ceremony in
Seoul.[120] In October 2018, Lay debuted in the U.S. with his 3rd solo album Namanana. The album
topped the charts of Billboard's World Albums and Independent Albums, and placed 21st
on Billboard 200, making Lay the highest-ranked Mandopop artist on the chart.[121]
Exo's sixth studio album, Don't Mess Up My Tempo, was announced in early October for release on
November 2, 2018.[122] It was also revealed that Don't Mess Up My Tempo would feature all nine Exo
members – the group's first release to do so since Lotto in 2016.[122] The album received 1,104,617
pre-orders, surpassing the group's own previous record.[123] The album was a commercial success,
selling 1,179,997 copies by November 30, making Exo "quintuple million sellers" in the
media.[124] With the release of Don't Mess Up My Tempo, Exo became the first artist to surpass 10
million total album sales in South Korea.[124] The album debuted at number 23 on the Billboard 200
with 23,000 equivalent album sales and number one on the Independent Albums and World
Albums Billboard charts.[125][126] The album is Exo's highest charting album on the Billboard 200 and
fourth number one album on the World Albums Chart.[125] Love Shot was released on December 13,
as a repacked version of Don't Mess Up My Tempo.[127] The lead single, also titled "Love Shot",
became Exo's third number one single on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart and held the
position for three consecutive weeks.[128][129] Don't Mess Up My Tempo sold 1,951,879 copes in South
Korea in 2018 and is Exo's best selling album.[130]
Chen became the second Exo member to debut as a soloist with his debut EP April, and a Flower,
which was released on April 1, 2019.[131][132] The album peaked at number two on the Gaon Album
chart and number three on the Billboard World Albums Chart.[133][134] Xiumin enlisted for his mandatory
military service as an active duty soldier on May 7, 2019.[135][136] D.O. enlisted as an active duty soldier
on July 1.[137][138] Baekhyun debuted as the group's third soloist with the release of his EP, City Lights,
on July 10.[139][140] City Lights sold over 500,000 copies in July 2019, breaking the Gaon Chart record
for the highest monthly album sales by a solo artist.[141] The album also peaked at number four on
both Billboard's World Albums and Heatseekers Albums charts.[142][143] Chanyeol and Sehun debuted
as Exo's second official sub-unit, Exo-SC, and released their first EP, What a Life, in July 22; the duo
released "We Young" for SM Station X 0 in September 2018.[144][145] What a Life debuted at number
eight at the World Albums chart, and at number ten at the Heatseekers Chart.[143] Exo is currently
embarking on its fifth headlining tour, Exo Planet 5 – The Exploration, with six dates in Seoul from
July 19–28.[146]

Artistry
Musicality
Exo are considered by many to be a vocal powerhouse in the K-pop industry; the group's three main
vocalists D.O., Chen, and Baekhyun have received praise from industry figures and the
media.[147][148][149][150]
Beginning in 2013, Exo has released special winter-themed EPs in December nearly every year.
These EPs feature many classic, emotional ballads, diverging from the dramatic and upbeat singles
usually featured on the band's full-length albums.[151][152][153] Billboard applauded the band's single
"Universe" from the 2017 EP of the same name, saying, "With soaring, emotive vocals courtesy of
the Exo members, 'Universe' is a power ballad that showcases the group's strengths."[154]
The group has frequently worked with veteran Korean and international producers,
including Kenzie, Dean, LDN Noise, The Underdogs, and MARZ Music.[158][159] Many of Exo's songs –
especially the singles, which blend pop, hip-hop, and R&B with electronic dance music genres like
house, trap, and synth-pop– are produced with onstage performance in mind.[160][161] Producer Harvey
Mason Jr. commented: "We listen to their material ... and try and go one step further. We try and do
things that are fresh and original but yet still sound like Exo. ...They can sing, they can dance, they
have the energy ... It's like a painter having every color to paint with."[161]
Early in their career, Exo were described by Billboard as sounding "wholly inspired by the late
'90s/early '00s sound ... with bigger beats, loads more hooks and adding rap and dance
breakdowns."[155][162] The group explored a more "mature" and "dark" sound in 2016 with the release
of their third studio album, Ex'Act, featuring an increased use of electronic dance music styles like
house and synth-pop.[163][156][164][165] Their fourth studio album, The War, deepened the group's
experimentation with genre, including the addition of trap music.[161] With the album's single "Ko Ko
Bop", Exo received praise for unconventionally hybridizing laid-back reggae sounds with heavy
electronic breaks.[166][157]

Songwriting
Exo's members faced criticism early in their careers because of their lack of involvement in the
writing and producing of their songs.[167] However, in 2015 Exo released its first song to credit lyrics to
one of the group's members, on the repackaged version of their second album, Love Me Right.
"Promise (Exo 2014)" was written by Chanyeol, Chen, and Lay, and was a "special gift" to the fans,
with lyrics thanking them for their support.[168][169] Since then, Exo has released multiple songs with
lyrics by the band's members, including "Heaven" and "She's Dreaming" from their third album, the
special promotional single "Lightsaber", and most notably, the hit single "Ko Ko Bop" and several
other songs from their 2017 album The War.[170]
In a 2017 interview with Billboard, Chanyeol spoke about his contributions to the lyrics for "Chill",
stating that because he "worked on the lyrics with an empty track without demo lyrics", the process
came more "naturally" to him.[161] In the same interview, Chen explained the process of writing their
single "Ko Ko Bop", saying "[we] wrote the lyrics separately and worked on putting [them] together
for the song afterwards. I don't think I have any regrets [about the song] since it's the best result
produced through all the effort that our members and other writers have put into the
process."[161] Chen is also credited with writing the Korean lyrics for the track "Lights Out", from Exo's
fourth special winter EP Universe.[107] Lay is also a songwriter and producer, having written and
composed each track of all his solo albums as well for other artists.[171][172] Chanyeol participated in
writing lyrics for "Gravity" and 'With You", both off of Exo's sixth studio album Don't Mess Up My
Tempo.[173]

Stage

Exo performance using water on stage in Bangkok during Exo Planet 3 – The Exo'rdium in 2016.

Exo have been praised particularly for their synchronized choreography and elaborate stage
designs. The band was choreographed early in their career by American hip hop
choreographers Tony Testa and Nicholas Bass for songs like "Wolf" and "Growl", respectively.[174] In
recent years, Exo has collaborated with choreographer Kim Tae Woo.[175] Dazed admired the band's
"seamless...knife-point choreography", saying it has put Exo "at the forefront of pop
domination".[176] A recurring stage element during the group's world tours has been the use of water
in the form of rain and shallow pools. Cleo said Exo's "winning formula" is the incorporation of water
into their choreography, saying "there was water cascading from above during 'White Noise' and
'Lightsaber', which saw some of the members getting drenched."[177] Yahoo wrote that "during one
segment, the boys stood on an elevated hexagon-shaped stage (modeled after the band's logo), and
danced sensually while water rained down on them from above."[178]
On their stage design, Music Mind noted Exo's use of "not only ... the stage-lights and the lightsticks,
but also [a] multitude of special effects like water, flames, and fireworks, not to mention huge
screens positioned both on the substage and across the whole perimeter of the
venue".[179] Rappler journalist Keb Cuevas described Exo's "multi-LED screen stage fitted with
holographic Exo embellishments and choreographed laser lighting", saying "the stage was literally
on fire as pyrotechnic effects were ignited with the electronic beat."[180] Covering a 2018 concert in
Singapore, Bandwagon remarked that after their "fourth headlining tour [in] four years ... you might
[assume] their setlist and stages would be repetitive and stale. But [that] was not the case at all."[181]

Impact and influence

With the release of their debut studio album in 2013, Exo became the first South Korean artists in 12
years to sell over one million copies of an album;[20] the previous artist prior to reach this milestone
was g.o.d, in 2001.[182] In 2018, Exo became "quintuple million sellers", meaning the band has sold
over one million copies apiece for five different albums.[124] Following the release of their 5th studio
album, Don't Mess Up My Tempo, Exo became the first South Korean artist who debuted in the 21st
century to sell 10 million albums cumulatively.[124]
Exo have also contributed significantly to the financial success of their management agency, SM
Entertainment. In the fourth quarter of 2018, Sm Entertainment recorded the largest ever quarterly
profit for any South Korean entertainment company at $13.4 million.[183] The SM artist generating the
highest revenue was Exo, at 31% of the total $188 million fourth quarter revenue.[183]
Exo have been described as "the biggest boy band in the world".[176] They have gained immense
popularity in South Korea, and were named by Forbes on the Korea Power Celebrity list as the most
powerful celebrities in South Korea for 2015 and 2016; within the top five for 2014, 2017, and 2018;
and within the top 10 for 2019[184][185] They have been given a number of honorific nicknames such as
"Kings of K-Pop" by international outlets Vogue, Metro, PageOne and South Korean outlets
including OBS among others.[186] They were also named as the "Nation's pick" and the "Global pick"
by South Korean media.[187] Exo are widely esteemed as a prominent force in the Hallyu Wave, which
refers to the rise and spread of Korean pop culture around the world.[188][189][190] When discussing the
significance of Exo in a global context, Bustle magazine described them as "the ultimate K-pop
sensation", saying "there's really nothing quite like Exo."[188] The group has received further attention
for releasing almost all of its studio albums simultaneously in both Korean and
Mandarin. Vulture described Exo as "leaders of a K-pop generation" when describing the band's
ability to release music in the Korean and Chinese markets while continuing to impress in the United
States with Billboard chartings and arena tours.[191] In this regard, Dazed considered Exo's success to
be that of "a continent-straddling pop juggernaut".[176] In 2016, AsiaOne said "Exo are turning into an
omnipresent, unstoppable global force," citing their popularity in the United States, their critical
acclaim, and the size of their global fandom.[192]
In April 2018, Forbes described Exo as one of the two artists worldwide that dramatically over-
perform on social media, with the other being fellow K-pop boy band BTS.[193] Both groups exceeded
the reach of American artists such as Beyonce, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.[193] Twitter statistics
from Next Big Sound, show that with 24 million mentions in one week, Exo recorded 14,000 times
more than expected.[193] Exo also ranked at number two on the 2018 Billboard Social 50 end of year
ranking.[194]
Exo's work has influenced numerous artists, including Kim Dong-han,[195] Wanna One,[196] and Kang
Daniel.[197]
Exo has maintained numerous endorsement deals throughout the group's career, and has been
named multiple times as having the most powerful brand reputation among K-pop artists by the
Korean Business Research Institute.[198][199] Since 2012, Exo has maintained a partnership
with Samsung, the largest public company in South Korea, where the group has endorsed the
company's electronic products.[200][201] In early February 2013, Exo began promoting the South Korean
clothing brand Kolon Sport, for which they filmed a commercial for a new pair of sneakers named for
their collaboration: MOVE-XO.[202] Also in 2013, Exo began a two-year endorsement deal with
cosmetics brand Nature Republic, which was later extended and remains active to this
day.[203][204] Their partnership grew in 2015 and 2016 to include autograph events, which drew 30,000
and 50,000 fans, respectively.[205][206] The 2015 autograph event was held in Busan, with crowds such
that the municipal police department tweeted: "Currently live from Exo's fan signing in
Gwangbukdong. One, two three! We Are One! Busan Police! Everyone, please be in
order."[207] These events were followed by the Green Nature Exo Fan Festival in 2017 and 2018; both
were concert-style events hosted by Nature Republic with thousands of attendees.[204][208]
In late 2015, Exo officially endorsed Star Wars: The Force Awakens with the release of a
collaboration film that featured "the nine Exo members in a Star Wars-inspired world where clubs are
'Jedi Only' and they carry lightsabers", according to Billboard.[209] In 2016, the group became
ambassadors for American footwear company Skechers, endorsing the D'Lites 2 Sweet Monster
Collection. This partnership has extended to Skechers events such as the 2017 Sweet Monster K-
Pop Dance Competition, attended by Exo members Chanyeol and Sehun.[210] Also in 2016, the group
became the official faces of international clothing brand SPAO's spring collection, which included
limited-edition postcards and posters for customers.[211]
In 2018, in the lead-up to Exo's performance at the Closing Ceremony for the 2018 Winter Olympics,
the group became the faces of the Switzerland-based snow-sports company Kessler.[212] In March
2018, Exo were announced to be the new brand ambassadors for Major League Baseball (MLB) in
Asia.[213] Following this announcement, Chanyeol, Kai, and Sehun attended the grand opening of the
MLB store in Times Square, Hong Kong, on March 23.[214] In July 2018, Exo were appointed as
Korean Tourism Ambassadors for 2018 by the Korean Tourism Organization, and appeared in a
series of promotional advertisements designed to "promote Korea to the world".[215] Exo also maintain
partnerships with, or have previously endorsed, companies including Coca-Cola, SK
Telecom, KFC, MCM, Lotte Confectionery, Lotte World, Goobne Chicken, and Hats On.[216]

Philanthropy
The members of Exo-K became goodwill ambassadors for South Korea's Red Cross Youth in
December 2012.[217] Members of Exo were appointed as official ambassadors for Fashion-KODE
2014, which was hosted by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea
Active Content Agency Fashion Festival in July 2014.[218] That same month, Samsung announced
Exo as its brand ambassadors for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics.[219]
Since its debut, Exo members have been involved in charity, such as volunteering for and making
personal donations to organizations including childcare centers, the Korea Childhood Leukemia
Foundation, Siheung Women's Resources Development Center, and China's Hunan
province medical services.[220][221][222][223]
In 2015, Exo began participating in Smile For U, a joint SM Entertainment and UNICEF project that
supports music education for children in Asia. Part of the proceeds from the band's second special
winter release Sing for You and multiple subsequent albums were donated to the campaign.[224][225][226]

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Exo
Exo at the 16th Mnet Asian Music Awards in December 2014

Exo have won numerous awards in South Korea and internationally. On June 14, 2013, the band
earned their first-ever music show win, with the single "Wolf" on Korea's Music Bank.[227] Music
programs are weekly television shows in South Korea and China that award the artist with the most
popular song in the country based on digital chart performance, album sales and social media
popularity.[228] Exo hold the record for the most music show wins for a single song, with 18 wins for
"Call Me Baby", released in 2015.[229] Exo have gone on to win over 100 music program awards,
becoming the second act to do so after their label-mates Girls' Generation.[230][231]
Exo have also received 23 Daesang awards from various year-end award shows.[232] In South
Korea's music industry, a Daesang award is the "grand prize" of an award ceremony.[233] These wins
included six Daesang awards from the Mnet Asian Music Awards, which was recorded in the
2018 Guinness World Records book as the "Most Daesang" (grand prize) awards won at the Mnet
Asian Music Awards.[234]
On November 3, 2017, Exo received a Prime Minister Commendation at the Korean Popular Culture
and Arts Awards, an honor bestowed in recognition of public service and/or excellence in a given
field. When receiving the award, Suho said: "We have received such a big award alongside brilliant
people ... It's such a huge honor. We will become performers who promote not only K-pop, but also
Korea."[235]

Discography
Main article: Exo discography
See also: List of songs recorded by Exo
tudio album

 2013: XOXO
 2015: EXODUS
 2016: EX'ACT
 2017: The War
 2018: Don't Mess Up My Tempo
Repackage album

 2013: Growl
 2015: Love Me Right
 2016: Lotto
 2017: The War: The Power of Music
 2018: Love Shot
Extended play / EP
 2012: MAMA
 2013: Miracles in December
 2014: Overdose
 2015: Sing for You
 2016: For Life
 2017: Universe

Members[change | change source]

 Xiumin (Hangul: 시우민), born as Kim Min-seok (Hangul: 김민석) in Guri, Gyeonggi Province,
South Korea on March 26, 1990.
 Suho (Hangul: 수호), born as Kim Jun-myeon (Hangul: 김준면) in Seoul, South Korea on May
22, 1991. Is the leader of EXO.
 Lay (Hangul: 레이), born as Zhang Jiashuai (traditional Chinese: 張加帥; simplified Chinese: 张
加帅) in Changsha, Hunan, China at October 7, 1991. Lay changed his birth name to Zhang
Yixing (traditional Chinese: 張藝興; simplified Chinese: 张艺兴) and is also known by his Korean
name Jang Ye-heung (hangul: 장예흥).
 Baekhyun (Hangul: 백현), born as Byun Baek-hyun (Hangul: 변백현) in Bucheon, Gyeonggi
Province, South Korea on May 6, 1992.
 Chen (Hangul: 첸), born as Kim Jong-dae Hangul: 김종대 in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province,
South Korea on September 21, 1992.
 Chanyeol (Hangul: 찬열), born as Park Chan-yeol (Hangul: 박찬열) in Seoul, South Korea on
November 27, 1992.
 D.O. (Hangul: 디오), born as Do Kyung-soo (Hangul: 도경수) in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province,
South Korea on January 12, 1993.
 Kai (Hangul: 카이), born as Kim Jong-in (Hangul: 김종인) in Suncheon, South Jeolla, South
Korea on January 14, 1994. Is the face of EXO.
 Sehun (Hangul: 세훈), born as Oh Se-hun (Hangul: 오세훈) in Seoul, South Korea on April 12,
1994. Is the visual of EXO.
Past members[change | change source]

 Luhan (Hangul: 루한), born as Lu Han (Chinese: 鹿晗) in Haidian, Pekin, China on April 20,
1990. He was the visual and face of EXO-M.
 Kris (Hangul: 크리스), born as Li Jiaheng (Chinese: 李嘉恒) in Guangzhou, China on
November 6, 1990. He was the leader of EXO-M. Kris changed his birth name to Wu
Yifan (traditional Chinese: 吳亦凡; simplified Chinese: 吴亦凡).
 Tao (Hangul: 타오), born as Huang Zitao (Chinese: 黄子韬) in Qingdao, Shandong, China on
May 22, 1993.