EXO reclaims spotlight with eighth studio album

“I was just a salaried office worker with dark circles under my eyes, but after watching this video, I felt like a 15-year-old girl again.”

The comment appeared beneath a video of boy band EXO’s stage performance at last month’s 2025 Melon Music Awards. Making their first MMA appearance in eight years, EXO delivered a powerful set that included hits such as "Growl," "Wolf, Monster" and "Love Shot," along with their new single "Back It Up," leaving a lasting impression. While several prominent junior idol groups also performed that night, EXO stood out for the precision and intensity of their performance.

EXO returned after completing their mandatory military service. On Jan. 19, the group officially marked its comeback with the release of its eighth full-length album, "Reverxe." This is their first group activity in nearly three years since their seventh full album, Exist, debuted in 2023. Still commanding strong public attention, EXO has heightened expectations for what the new album will deliver.

● 'Crown' captures SM’s signature sensibility

The album features nine tracks, led by the title song "Crown." As the members had previously indicated, "Crown" emphasizes the classic SM Music Performance, or SMP, style. The track is an intense dance number that fuses Atlanta trap drums, heavy metal guitar riffs and EDM synth sounds. Its lyrics compare a cherished person to a crown and vow to protect them at all costs, reflecting EXO’s signature sense of solemn grandeur. The accompanying music video stands out as well, showcasing imagery tied to the group’s long-running superpower universe, including elements such as fire, water and wind that have been central to EXO’s concept since its debut.

Critics say the new album deliberately leans on familiar territory. Pop music critic Park Hee-a described it as so faithful to the SMP formula that fans who have long followed SMP may even consider it classic, adding, “Rather than chasing freshness, it delivers a strong sense of stability rooted in the familiar language people associate with EXO.” On the title track Crown, Park noted, “It does not feel like a bold experiment. After a long hiatus, it appears the group chose a song that clearly reaffirms EXO’s identity and presence.”

● The return of a nationwide idol phenomenon behind 'Growl'

Ahead of the comeback, concerns arose over the absence of Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin, collectively known as ChenBaekXi, who did not participate in this round of activities due to a settlement dispute with their agency, SM Entertainment. However, those concerns were largely muted in the reorganized six-member lineup of Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Sehun, Kai and Lay. According to Wavve, the online streaming platform that exclusively broadcast the MMA, the peak in simultaneous viewers during last year’s show occurred when EXO appeared on stage.

Within the music industry, EXO’s return has generated particular excitement. The group was one of the defining acts of the mid-2010s, when K-pop exerted its strongest mainstream influence in South Korea.

Since their debut in 2012, EXO sparked a nationwide craze with "Growl" the following year and went on to release a string of hits, including "Call Me Baby" and "Love Me Right." Rising to an unrivaled position as a boy group, EXO earned the nickname “ExBangWon,” alongside BTS and Wanna One, who were active during the same period. With BTS also scheduled for a comeback in March, expectations are high for a potential synergy effect.

“EXO is a group that holds nationally recognized hit songs as a boy band,” Pop music critic Jeong Min-jae said. “They were active before the pandemic, at a time when pop culture was less fragmented and social media amplification was strong. That gave them enormous impact and makes them highly likely to become a long-lasting boy group.”


사지원 4g1@donga.com