EXO's Lay Apologizes for Fan Meeting Absence, Cites Urgent Beijing Event

EXO member Lay has personally addressed the reasons for his absence from the group's fan meeting.

On the 14th, Lay shared via his Chinese social media account on Weibo, "I had to urgently return to Beijing to attend an important event at the National Theatre."

He reassured fans, stating, "I have arrived safely, so please don't worry." Lay continued, "I sincerely apologize to the members, our agency, and everyone who experienced inconvenience due to my absence."

Earlier, Lay was scheduled to participate in EXO's fan meeting, 'EXO‘verse,' held at the Inspire Arena in Incheon on the 14th at 2 PM and 7 PM. However, just before the event, his agency SM Entertainment announced, "Due to unavoidable circumstances, member Lay will unfortunately be unable to attend."

Consequently, only EXO members Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun took the stage. While various speculations arose regarding Lay's absence, he clarified himself that it was due to attending a "significant event" and offered his apologies.

Meanwhile, EXO is preparing for their comeback with their 8th full album, 'REVERXE,' scheduled for release on January 19, 2026.

Fans expressed disappointment over Lay's sudden absence but showed understanding for his personal commitments. Comments like "Hope you complete your important schedule well and return safely!" and "It's a shame we couldn't see a full EXO stage, but we'll look forward to the next one" were common.