In search of new products, we are increasingly paying attention to the Asian market, rather than the western one. The fair sex today is much more interesting to buy cosmetics from Korean brands, and the naturalness of the famous Chanel, LancĂ´me and Guerlain is justifiable. Asian dramas are in no way inferior to American series, and about the novelties of Chinese inventors in general, you need to write a separate review.
The music industry is also developing at a good pace, and EXO members are considered the most promising. A unique project has existed for more than three years, and fans around the world greet every show or album with unchanging enthusiasm.
SM Entertainment
The idea of ââcreating an EXO boy band belonged to the famous SM Entertainment label. This Korean music talent search agency was founded in 1995 by Lee Soo Man. Since then, many popular bands have entered the stage from under his wing : Super Junior, Girl's Generation, Red Velvet and others.
The company's immediate plans include a complete takeover of the Asian music industry. In addition to the office in Korea, SM Entertainment has already opened representative offices in Japan and China, and only Hong Kong is missing to complete the mission.
Two in one
The idea of ââcreating an EXO band is actually unique. The label decided to reach the maximum audience, therefore under one name two projects are hiding at once.
EXO members are a team of twelve incredibly talented and attractive young people. In EXO-K, the performers sing in Korean, and in EXO-M in Chinese. Each clip, single or track has two versions designed for two countries at once. Agree, this is a win-win option, because the group always has its fans. In addition, all concert shows, photo shoots and interviews are duplicated.
Structure
SM Entertainment announced the creation of a boy band at the end of 2011 - then the composition of the EXO group was carefully hidden. They warmed up interest before the premiere with the help of short advertising videos in which the main characters were represented.
Literally from the first sound, the hearts of millions of fans were won by twelve talented young people (ages 18 to 22) from South Korea and China, who, thanks to SM Entertainment, got a chance to play in the EXO group. By the way, the unusual name comes from the word âexoplanetâ. This is a celestial body outside the solar system that revolves around a star.
First success
EXO-SHOWCASE's debut show took place in Korea on March 31, 2012 and in China on April 1, 2012. The audience (according to official figures there were a total of 8,000) liked the unusual format, which involved a small concert, as well as communication with participants who answered questions from fans from all over the world.
However, the promotion campaign was not limited to the show alone. On the day of the official debut, both EXO subgroups performed with the single MAMA, and each participant had superpowers in the video, for example, telekinesis, healing, teleportation and others. The next day, the mini-album was also presented in two versions. And finally, the full boy band went on a general tour.
Development of events
In 2013, EXO fans were able to enjoy the full-length album, called XOXO (Kiss & Hug). The first part was intended for a Korean audience, and the second for a Chinese one.
The single Wolf became the main one in the album; a video was also shot on it, where EXO members appeared in the form of werewolves. It was this work that brought the first awards and the title of the best newcomers to the musical Olympus.
Watching the growing popularity, the label SM Entertainment decided to forge iron. The album, released in June 2013, decided to reissue, and in August the version of Growl went on sale.
Three months after the release of two versions of XOXO, it became known about the next record - the sale of 740 thousand copies. To dilute the stream of musical innovations, it was decided with the help of another version of the promotion - a drama clip. This unusual format is similar to a mini-series with the participation of charming artists, which can also be seen in Chinese and Korean versions.
At the end of 2013, the group reinforced its success with the small album Miracles in December.
Overdose
In 2014, EXO presented the mini-album Overdose only in early May, and three weeks later the first solo concert took place. With the program EXO From EXO Planet # 1 - The Lost Planet, the group went on a tour of Asian countries, which lasted until mid-October 2014.
An important event was the launch of the official website, which today has registered approximately three million people. However, the departure from the EXO-M subgroup of two members at once (Wu Yifan and Lu Han) slightly upset the fans.
2015: Exodus
The loss of two team members at once did not have much impact on the success of the entire group. EXO continued to work hard and already at the beginning of March 2015 performed at the second solo concert. A little later, the release of the next full-length Exodus volume took place. The title track Call Me Baby immediately won 17 music awards.
A popular album was re-released a few months later, and in the video for the song Love Me Right, fans saw only nine artists - this time EXO's biography continued without Huang Zi Tao.
The next return to the scene will occur on December 10, 2015 along with the release of the winter album Sing For You.
Dry
Among Russian music lovers, EXO songs have been known since 2012, but in our country the musicians managed to make themselves known only a year later, when they performed at the closing of the summer universiade in the capital of Tatarstan.
The leader of the group EXO-K and the lead vocalist is Kim Joon Myung. The young man was born on May 22, 1991. At school, he established himself as a responsible student, he was often chosen by the head of the class and even the deputy president of the school.
Chun Myung began his collaboration with SM Entertainment label in 2006. Today, Sukho (stage name) combines work in the group with studies at the acting faculty at Korea National University of Arts.
As a true leader, Kim Joon Myung loves bringing all EXO members together to discuss pressing issues and just chat. Not acted without his attention and the act of three colleagues who decided to leave the team. Sukho called the behavior of the retired irresponsible.
Chris
Ex-EXO member Wu Yifan was well known to fans under the pseudonym Chris. The young man was born in Guangzhou (China) on November 6, 1990, and ten years later the family moved to Canada.
In 2005, the fifteen-year-old Wu Yifan returned to his hometown and continued his studies at the school, but then again went to Canada. It was in North America in 2007 that Chris brilliantly auditioned for SM Entertainment. In addition to musical talents, the young man had other advantages - he was fluent in Chinese (including the Cantonese dialect), English and Korean.
The departure from the EXO group was carefully planned, because two months after the claim for termination of the contract, Chris presented the song Tome Boils The Rain. The solo career developed quite rapidly: filming in several films, photo shoots in Chinese versions of fashion publications and, of course, musical novelties.
In addition, Wu Yifan is the youngest talent, whose wax figure will be presented at Madame Tussauds (Shanghai).
Kim Jong Dae
Chen, or Kim Jung Dae, performs on EXO-M. He joined the label in 2011, but unlike Chris and Sukho, he spent only three months as an intern.
Even the EXO band members themselves admit that Chen has an amazing voice, so he teaches the rest about different singing techniques. Jung Dae loves the R&B style, video games and delicious food.
Lay
Another EXO-M member is Zhang Yixing, or Lei. He started working at SM at the same time as Chris and was on an internship for four years. As a child, Yixing often participated in various talent shows and was a rising star in China.
Lei was born in Hunan Province (China) on October 7, 1991. To advance his career at SM Intertainment, he went to school with Chris to study Korean. However, even four years later, Zhang Yixing did not consider his pronunciation to be ideal. When a young man is especially homesick and family, he writes songs.
Oh Se Hong
EXO-K's youngest musician is O Se Hong, known by his pseudonym Sehong. At the time of launching the project, the young man was 18 years old.
Representatives of the label found him literally on the street, on the way to school. The boy told his mom about the meeting, and after the casting, Sehun got into a kind of âfactory of starsâ. During the internship, he communicated closest with Luhan, and many considered them brothers.
Kim Jong In (Kai)
Kai was the first EXO member introduced on December 21, 2011. Partnership with SM began in 2007, when a 13-year-old boy became the best dancer in the SM Your Best Contest contest.
Kim Jong-in is a hardworking and slightly reserved young man. He did not even tell his sisters about the debut. Relations with other EXO-K members were not easy. As a true leader, Sukho tried to find an approach and yet âunraveledâ Kai with the help of his favorite dishes.
Luhan
The second participant to leave the popular project after Chris was Lu Han (or Luhan). Born on April 20, 1990 in Beijing, he attended high school, and then went to South Korea for an exchange, where he entered the prestigious Yonsei University.
In 2008, Lu Han accidentally met with representatives of SM Entertainment and got to the annual audition, after which he remained on an internship at a large company. After a year and a half, the young man became part of EXO-M.
Luhanâs career as a boy band member ended on October 10, 2014 - it was on this day that the musician went to court to terminate the contract with the label. For the employer, such an act came as a complete surprise, SM shares instantly fell in value. An official comment, as in the case of Chris's departure a few months earlier, claimed that young musicians made a name for themselves in the group and now decided to use this fact to advance their solo career.
Golden bun
Like other EXO members, this one only became popular thanks to its talent. In 2008, the young man finished second in the SM Everysing Contest. It is worth noting that this is almost the only musician in the group who had to work hard on his own appearance.
During the internship, future boy band colleagues even gave him the nickname Golden Bun. Sooner or later, Kim Min Sok would have to moderate his appetite, and the label required a strict diet. In the end, the young man won, and he liked the new appearance much more.
Today, Kim Min Sok is the most athletic member of EXO. He plays football well and often disappears in the gym. In addition, a musician is the dream of any girl, because attractiveness also hides the ability to cook, discipline and a love of cleanliness.
Huang Zi Tao
The third loss for EXO-M (for some reason, it was the members of this subgroup who decided to choose âfree swimmingâ) was Tao. On April 16, 2015, the statement of the father of the musician appeared in the press, saying that there was a lack of support from the label and a great risk to health.
Fortunately, Huang Zi Tao is healthy today and continues to work in the industry. On June 11, 2015, the young man opened his own agency in China, and a month later he made his debut with a video and a solo album.
Ben back hyung
From childhood he was fond of music. At school, Jungwon was one of the members of a group that repeatedly participated in music festivals.
Listening to SM Entertainment, he went along with Chen, but after the opponentâs performance, he was ready to give up. However, two young people were invited to an internship at once.
EXO members claim that Ben Back Hyun is a real âlighterâ and can raise the morale of the team.
To Kyung Soo
Has been collaborating with SM since 2010. He tries to write lyrics for songs on his own and dreams of becoming the host of an entertainment show. However, the young man is best able to act as a ânannyâ for other EXO members.
He loves to cook, and at any time of the day, and clean all rooms without exception.
Prior to Kyung Soo, she starred in films and in 2014 was noted as a young actor with three awards at once: Soompi Awards, 3 rd APAN Star Awards and 16 th Seoul International Youth Film Festival.
Park Chan Yol
Born November 27, 1992 in Seoul. In elementary school, he became interested in music, and a few years later he created his own group. The sixteen-year-old boy continued his education at a private acting school, and in 2008 he became an SM intern. Father Chan Yeol dreamed of becoming a singer, so he happily supported his son in all endeavors.
Today, in addition to participating in the EXO project, Chanyeol is actively acting in films (âChansu Shopâ, the drama EXO Next Door) and entertainment shows (âDate aloneâ and âNeighborsâ). The young man is called the main rapper in the group.
Chan Yol doesnât forget about his studies. At the Faculty of Culture and Management Arts, he is educated with Ben Back Hyun and Su Ho.
Numerous fans consider him the most smiling and positive member of EXO.