EXO has officially launched their comeback era, with the December 14 fan meeting serving as the kickoff for everything ahead. The group held their year-end fan event EXO’verse at the Inspire Arena in Incheon, South Korea. The fan meeting was packed with performances, surprises, and exciting first looks at the music that will define EXO’s next chapter.
On December 15 at midnight, SM Entertainment dropped the release date for their 8th album, REVERXE. EXO will drop REVERXE on all music platforms on January 19 at 6 pm KST.
At EXO’verse, EXO surprised fans with the debut of their new single “I’m Home,” including the release of the official music video that dropped today at midnight KST and the first live performance during the event itself.
This comeback era revolves around the forthcoming eighth full-length studio album titled REVERXE. The album follows EXO’s 2023 release Exist and is being positioned as a major new phase for the group after a long period marked by solo projects and military service.
In the weeks leading up to the fan meeting, EXO released teaser photos and a cinematic comeback trailer that hinted at the REVERXE theme and sound.
The lineup for this comeback features six members: Suho, Chanyeol, D.O. (Doh Kyungsoo), Kai, Sehun, and Lay. Lay’s participation is especially noteworthy, as he has not been part of EXO’s group activities for several years due to focusing on solo work in China. Unfortunately, he withdrew from the fanmeeting hours before the scheduled time due to “unavoidable circumstances.”
Notably absent from both the fan meeting and the upcoming comeback promotions are Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin — the trio known as EXO-CBX. Their absence relates to an ongoing contractual dispute with SM Entertainment, which has prevented them from joining the group’s official comeback lineup.
Rumors and discussions about their possible future participation continue, but for this comeback, EXO will proceed as a six-member unit.
Fans attending EXO’verse witnessed not only performances of past hits like the beloved winter classic “The First Snow” but also the first public showing of I’m Home and hints about more songs to come from REVERXE.
EXO’s promotions are expected to continue through late 2025 and into 2026, with teasers, music show appearances, and more content as the REVERXE era unfolds.
Meanwhile, EXO-Ls can mark their calendar for January 19 when REVERXE drops.
