EXO’s Lay And Chanyeol’s Rare Reunion Unexpectedly Alarms Fans

Since Lay Zhang officially left SM Entertainment in 2022, fans have been confused about his status with EXO. Based on his statement, it sounded like he intended to remain a member of EXO, yet he was no longer listed as a member via SM Entertainment’s website.

Yet, when EXO’s classic Christmas hit “First Snow” resurfaced, going viral with a dance challenge, no members had participated in the challenge… until Lay shared his version!

@layzhang

#malaysia ❤️ I’m here^_^

♬ 첫 눈 The First Snow – Sped Up – EXO

Now, we’ve had more recent activity from Lay that cements his position with EXO.

Lay mentioned both Chanyeol and Sehun in a recent interview. He said that he and Chanyeol keep in touch the most.

I keep in touch with Chanyeol the most. Although we haven’t met, we often contact each other through SNS. He contacted me when he came to China to meet me. When I go to Korea, I would call him and when I release a song, he would send me his impression about the song. Chanyeol is very good at singing and also likes producing songs. I went to see Sehun once before he went to the army, and even though he’s younger than me, he seemed very mature at that time, that he seemed to have been around longer than I am. [laughs]

— Lay

yixing mentioned sehun and chanyeol in a recent interview!

he said that he met sehun before he enlisted in the military and talked about how sehun has grown/matured~ ㅠㅠ pic.twitter.com/mDeJ1H2tF7

— 🌸 사랑둥이 귀염둥이 세훈이 🌸 (@milkteus) April 22, 2024

Lay and Chanyeol proved that by appearing together in a rare live broadcast together! Lay was on Instagram Live when Chanyeol called him, and they even did their iconic EXO greeting together.

240421 LAY IG LIVE

*chanyeol called yixing while doing ig live. *yixing ask chanyeol if its okay to greet the viewers
*they do “WE ARE ONE” together
*yixing said “EXO Lay imnida”

OMFGG!!! OT9 EXIST NO DOUBT pic.twitter.com/UhW80h5PP6

— keyang 🌸 (@JONGINPAKISS) April 21, 2024

The two revealed they had kept up with each other’s solo promotions. They also teased new music and even suggested collaborating on something together.

Chanyeol joined Lay's IG live for a while 🥹

🍒: me too hyung, mine is also coming out soon!
🦄: when?
🍒: it's a secret, i can't give any spoiler
🦄: really?
🍒: solo..my solo!

Will post the subbed cut in a while! pic.twitter.com/nxQDjWxX0H

— NLNL 🍒👑 (@no_loey_no_life) April 21, 2024

240421 #LAY & #CHANYEOL Full IG Live Translation
*May contain inaccuracies as some parts are inaudible

🐑: "Ya Chanyeol-ah!"
🍒: "Lay~ Lay!~ you're in Korea right?"
🐑: "Eoh?"
🍒: "You're in Korea right?"
🐑: "Yeah, i'm in Korea"
🍒: "I'm not in Korea right now"
🐑: "I know… pic.twitter.com/NnDtZpY9eE

— ✴︎큥베리 | Grace 💫 (@Ace_BBH) April 21, 2024

240421 #LAY #CHANYEOL IG Live
🐑: "If it's possible, i'm not kidding, you should for real try recording a chinese song and show it to Eris in China"
🍒: "For sure!"
🐑: "Let's do it!"
🍒: "Okay (???) hyung~"
🐑: "Oh? Then if you record a chinese song, i'll feature in it for you… pic.twitter.com/IbuQBwheOA

— ✴︎큥베리 | Grace 💫 (@Ace_BBH) April 21, 2024

EXO-Ls couldn’t be more happy to see the two EXO members on screen together again after so long. It gave fans hope.

CHANYEOL LAY pic.twitter.com/BIWLABOKcr

— 'KNOCK KNOCK!' (@knockknock_vid) April 21, 2024

Chanyeol : “ I watched your MV “

Lay : “ I remembered the members a lot during music show recording , I missed members.

Chanyeol : “when i was alone i also missed them “pic.twitter.com/R52htLrmbi

— يوهان 🐣🪖military wife (@u_han94) April 21, 2024

EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
EXO IS NINE
OT9 OT9 OT9😭😭😭😭😭😭#Chanyeol #LAY pic.twitter.com/BFGymP4Mme

— Park🍒ᴹᴬᴿᴵᴬ⁦⁦*⁠･⁠゜ﾟ (@LouSy27) April 21, 2024

Yet, some couldn’t get past Lay’s current hairstyle. Lay’s hair is dyed pink but also styled in multiple small braids.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lay Zhang (@layzhang)

i’m happy to see them interacting always since it’s so rare but someone needs to yænk the braids out lay’s hair,,, those little faux twists were already pushing it 😭 pic.twitter.com/dc7ONSqhr5

— imp on top ☆ (@impifer) April 21, 2024

Many fans called out Lay for this hairstyle, as it is considered an appropriation of Black culture. They wish that Lay could be educated on the matter and refrain from hairstyles that don’t suit him.

guys can we mass email @lay_studio or whoever it is, to educate yixing on his hair because please like wtf

— 🌻🐚 (@zihaosworld) April 21, 2024

braids look like it came with the hat 😭😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/Ah1wdNCueE

— mils bill$ © (@nk4yuta) April 21, 2024

The type of braiding hairstyle Lay is wearing was invented by Black people, though. Chinese braids look way different from this. https://t.co/JeSR3OmDS7 pic.twitter.com/1WQgh62ZWa

— ♦♠♥♣LunarSkye♣♥♠♦ (@LunarSkye) April 22, 2024

I'll always love you Lay but the hair? Uhmm

— PUROK DOS RESIDER (@_ultkwonz) April 21, 2024

Despite the hairstyle, many fans were still happy about the rare mini-EXO reunion. Watch the live broadcast below.

240421 Lay IG Live 🍒 #CHANYEOL Cut with English subs ✨️ #찬열 pic.twitter.com/9WCqVMsMHW

— NLNL 🍒👑 (@no_loey_no_life) April 21, 2024