Kai set the internet abuzz after casually revealing how many members EXO currently has on a recent broadcast.
On the April 27 episode of the SBS variety show Ani Geunde Jinjja!, Lee Sang-min, Tak Jae-hoon, Lee Su-ji, and Kai acted out a comedic skit. When Lee Sang-min asked, "Aren’t EXO performing from April?" Kai replied, "We have a world tour concert." Lee then joked, "We’ll appear as guests," catching Kai off guard.
When Lee Su-ji pressed, "Really? Are we actually guesting at EXO’s concert?" Kai shut it down with, "Don’t get your hopes up." She kept prying—"Where’s the concert venue?"—but Kai dodged: "That’s a secret. The concert might get canceled," making everyone laugh.
Listening in, Tak Jae-hoon said, "Kai, I don’t usually say this, but do me a favor," even bowing. Lee Sang-min chimed in, "Just turn a blind eye once," while Lee Su-ji urged, "You just have to pretend you didn’t see anything," trying to sway Kai.
Kai hinted at his precarious position: "I’ll say just one thing. Contract renewal season is coming up." Tak Jae-hoon shot back, "Renewal? We’ll help you," brimming with confidence. When Lee Su-ji implied he shouldn’t look weak—"You’re Kai"—he quipped, "At this rate, I won’t be Kai. I might become 'Kei'," cracking everyone up.
Then Tak Jae-hoon asked, "Besides you, how many members are in EXO?" Kai answered, "Right now? Five." The members he seemed to reference align with those who took part in the 8th full album 'REVERXE' released in January: including Kai, D.O., Suho, Lay, Sehun, and Chanyeol.
Fans reacted instantly to Kai’s in-sketch answer. Clips spread across online communities and social media, with comments like, "EXO are six," "Let’s stay as one," and "The ones who protected the group are the real members."
Some observers believe the intense reactions stem from awareness of former EXO activities by Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin—collectively known as ChenBaekXi (CBX). The trio debuted in 2012 alongside Kai and launched unit promotions in 2016 as CBX. In 2024, Baekhyun established the independent label INB100, and he, Chen, and Xiumin left SM Entertainment to pursue solo activities. During the process, SM Entertainment raised tampering allegations (pre-expiration contact), and both sides clashed. The three CBX members also filed a lawsuit against SM over alleged lack of settlement data and unfair contracts but lost.
Amid ongoing turmoil, CBX are currently seeking to terminate their exclusive contracts with their former agency. Reports also claimed Baekhyun was headed to G-Dragon’s agency, Galaxy Corporation, which the company publicly denied—keeping the situation unsettled to this day.