EXO's Lay leaves SM Entertainment on band's 10th anniversary; 'Time to say goodbye'

Chinese pop-star Lay Zhang, a member of the popular K-pop boy band EXO has announced his separation from the group's agency, SM Entertainment. His statement, which came on the band's 10th-anniversary celebration, mentioned that he'll always be there when his 'Exo brothers' need him and further thanked fans for their constant love and support.

Lay Zhang, also known by his real name Zhang Yixing, thanked his colleagues at SM Entertainment and bid adieu to his stint at the agency. For the uninitiated, Lay has expanded his work in the industry by taking up multiple projects and creating his own agency, Chromosome Entertainment Group in China. He also continues to further his acting career, while releasing music as a solo artist. 

EXO's Lay leaves SM Entertainment on the band's 10th anniversary

Taking to his social media handles on Friday, April 8, Lay dropped the statement that read, "Ten years of growth, thank you all. Thank you to my EXO brothers for your company and encouragement. Thanks to my colleagues at SM for witnessing every step of my growth and achievement. Thank you to all of my fans for your unconditional love and support."

He continued, "It’s time to say goodbye as an employee of SM. It’s also my new beginning as a 30-year-old, but I will always be the Lay when my members need me. I’m your family member in China, Zhang Yixing. Love you forever EXO.” He signed off by mentioning, "I'm your family member in China." Take a look. 

The much loved K-pop band made their debut in 2012 with the song Mama, receiving immense popularity in the following decade. Their 2013 chartbuster hit Grow made them a household name and was followed by a plethora of famous tracks. Owing to his work in China, Lay has seldom appeared with the group. His 2021 stint in the band's 2021 EP Don’t Fight the Feeling came as his first appearance with them since 2018. 

Lay has released albums in languages like Chinese and English, and his latest track Dawn to Dusk came out in February. EXO's other members include  Xiumin, Suho, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and Sehun. 

(Image: @layzhang/Instagram)