Former members of EXO Kris and Luhan have attended another arbitration meeting with S.M. Entertainment, but the two singers were not able to reach a legal settlement with their former agency.
This is the second arbitration hearing between the two parties. It took place at the Seoul Central District Court on Monday. KPop Herald reported that the latest meeting occurred nine months after the first session took place.
In September 2015, the court recommended that S.M. Entertainment changes the 10-year contracts of the two singers to seven years. The court also suggested that the two Chinese singers could pick a third person to take charge of their management, but S.M. Entertainment refused to oblige.
Both Kris and Luhan stayed with the band EXO until the year 2014. However, the two artists filed a lawsuit against their former agency in May 2014 and October 2014 respectively. Chris was the first one who filed the lawsuit and Luhan followed soon after. They have been seeking to nullify their exclusive contracts with the South Korean entertainment agency.
The two argue that their individual rights have been violated due to the length of their exclusive contracts. They also claim that they have received unjust treatment and unequal distribution of profits with S.M. Entertainment.
The court ruled in the second meeting that a compulsory arbitration would take place for a final decision, but the two parties failed to agree on settlements for the latest meeting. This second court proceeding reportedly lasted for about half an hour.
EXO debuted back in 2012, and the original band had 12 members. After Chinse bandmates Kris, Luhan, and Tao left, EXO became a nine-member group. The group recently released their third album called EX'ACT.
Since leaving the group, Kris has focused on acting. He is set to star in xXx: The Return of the Xander Cage and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
