“What Were They Doing?” SM Entertainment Is Under Fire Amid News Of EXO Kai’s Sudden Enlistment
Netizens are criticizing SM Entertainment in light of EXO Kai‘s sudden enlistment.
On May 3, fans were shocked when SM Entertainment made a sudden announcement in which they revealed that EXO’s Kai would be enlisting on May 11.
SM Entertainment Suddenly Announces EXO’s Kai Will Be Enlisting In The Military This Month
The news was even more of a shock, considering fans had been anticipating a comeback from EXO, which had been previously teased by SM Entertainment.
According to SM Entertainment, Kai’s sudden enlistment was due to a change in a law governing enlistment.
Although Kai had been preparing for EXO’s comeback later this year, due to recent changes in the law regarding military enlistment, Kai will be enlisting on May 11 to complete his basic training, after which he will begin working as a social worker.
—SM Entertainment
Netizens immediately pushed back, however, with many alleging that the law had been changed in January and that SM Entertainment should have planned a comeback much sooner than it did.
병무청규정바뀐거 1월
엑소팬미팅 4/8, 4/9
.
.
병무청규정변경으로인해카이가군대를가게되엇씁니다 5/3진짜ㅈ같아서말도않나옴。
— 장땅콩 (@DyOoll2) May 3, 2023
The law was changed in January. EXO’s fan meeting was on April 8 and April 9. Kai needs to go the army due to changes in the law — May 3. This is so f@cked, I’m speechless.
— @DYOoll2/Twitter
병무청 규정이 대체 어떻게 바뀌면 못해도 여름에 나올 거라고 예상했던 컴백까지 다 엎어지게 당장 다음주에 훈련소 입대를 이게말이됨?
— 레누 (@renoo_10100) May 3, 2023
How did the law change for the plans of a comeback this summer to be ruined, and (Kai) needs to enlist next week? Does this make sense?
— @renoo_10100/Twitter
병무청 규정은 1월에 바뀐거라는데 개씹스엠아
— 땅 (@cherrymarukai) May 3, 2023
I heard that the law changed in January, you SM f@ckers.
— @cherrymarukai/Twitter
아무리 병무청 규정이 바꼈다고해도
유예기간을 줬을텐데 지네 밥그릇싸움
하느랴 소속가수 신경못쓴건 아니고?— 봄 (@reluciente_BH) May 3, 2023
Even if the laws were changed, there would have been a grace period. Are you sure (the poor planning) wasn’t because they were too busy fighting (HYBE) for their bowl of food and didn’t focus on their artists?
@reluciente_BH/Twitter
The issue has trickled over to online communities, where netizens expressed the same discontent with the label.
- “No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t make sense. If they received a draft notice in January or February, then I can understand, but it’s May, meaning a third of the year has passed… What did SM do until now?”
- “It’s not like the law suddenly changed. They should have released the album sooner… They are so frustrating.”
- “Sigh, SM was too complacent.”
- “SM 3.0 is bull$hit, LOL. What are they doing?”
- “SM really sucks at their jobs.”
- “F@cking SM, LOL. They shelved (EXO) for so long, and now they blew a chance for their first full comeback in years.”
- “Wait, it’s next week?”
- “Huh? I’ve never seen such an urgent enlistment notice before.”
What are your thoughts?