EXO-CBX, the EXO unit made up of Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin, is challenging its exclusive contracts with agency INB100 through a request for a provisional injunction. For EXO-Ls, the central question is simple: could the EXO-CBX INB100 lawsuit change how the trio’s solo and unit activities move forward?
The reported filing is a dispute between EXO-CBX and INB100, not a new case against SM Entertainment or a confirmed change to EXO’s full-group plans. Still, it places the management of three major EXO members under fresh legal scrutiny, with unanswered questions about future releases, schedules, and representation.
What EXO-CBX Filed Against INB100
Reports published on September 7, 2026, said the Seoul Central District Court held a hearing on EXO-CBX’s request to suspend the effect of the trio’s exclusive contracts with INB100. The filing involves Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin, who have promoted together as EXO-CBX since the unit’s 2016 debut.
A provisional injunction is a temporary court measure. In this case, EXO-CBX is seeking to pause the practical effect of its disputed contracts while the larger legal question is addressed.
Koreaboo also reported that the members filed a separate main lawsuit seeking confirmation that the exclusive contracts are invalid. That reported case would address the long-term status of the contracts, while an injunction decision could determine what happens before a final ruling is reached.
For fans, the important distinction is that an injunction does not automatically settle the entire dispute. It also does not, by itself, confirm that any EXO-CBX, solo, or EXO schedule has been canceled.
The EXO-CBX and INB100 Timeline
The case is tied to a relatively recent agency structure. Baekhyun reportedly founded INB100 in June 2023, creating a company that became closely associated with the next chapter of his, Chen’s, and Xiumin’s careers outside their earlier SM Entertainment contract dispute.
- June 2023: Baekhyun reportedly establishes INB100.
- May 2024: INB100 reportedly joins One Hundred’s label structure.
- Termination notice: EXO-CBX reportedly notifies INB100 that it is terminating its contracts, citing unpaid settlement payments and other concerns. The translated reports refer to an April notice but do not consistently identify its year.
- September 7, 2026: The Seoul Central District Court reportedly holds the injunction hearing.
That timeline matters because the legal conflict is not simply about a new business arrangement. It concerns whether the trio’s relationship with the company that was meant to manage their activities can continue under the existing contracts.
INB100’s own official artist materials publicly list Xiumin and recognize both his EXO and CBX career history. The September 7 reports cited here do not include a detailed INB100 response to the injunction request or a confirmed management plan in the event that it is granted.
Why Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin Are Challenging the Agency
Reports state that EXO-CBX notified INB100 of contract termination after raising concerns about unpaid settlements and other issues. Settlement transparency and timely payment are especially serious issues in the idol industry, where an agency relationship can cover recordings, appearances, endorsements, touring, and other income-producing activities.
The dispute has also unfolded amid broader controversy involving Cha Ga-won, the executive connected to One Hundred. Sources say Cha was indicted and detained in August in a separate fraud case involving allegations connected to a proposed artist intellectual-property business that reportedly was not carried out.
Those allegations are separate from EXO-CBX’s contract filing and have not been resolved through the trio’s injunction case. The sources also contain conflicting details about the alleged transaction, so the specific financial claims and company names tied to that matter remain unclear.
For that reason, the clearest established point is not the wider controversy itself. It is that EXO-CBX’s reported termination notice cited unpaid settlements and that the members are asking the court to suspend their contracts with INB100.
What an Injunction Could Change
If the court grants the requested injunction, the effect of the EXO-CBX contracts with INB100 could be suspended while the main lawsuit proceeds. That could affect the immediate management framework surrounding Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin’s individual and unit work.
It would not automatically determine who manages the members next, whether the contracts are permanently invalid, or when EXO-CBX might release music or perform again. Those answers would depend on later legal decisions and official announcements from the parties involved.
It also would not automatically mean EXO has disbanded, paused, or canceled future activities. The reported filing names INB100 as the respondent, and the September 7 reporting does not establish a change to EXO’s full-group schedule.
That separation is key for EXO-Ls. Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin are central to both EXO and EXO-CBX, but a management dispute involving their unit agency should not be treated as proof of a full-group outcome that has not been announced.
What EXO-Ls Should Watch Next
The next meaningful update will be a court decision on the injunction request, followed by any response from INB100, One Hundred, or EXO-CBX’s representatives. A reported lack of public filings or appearance by INB100 at the initial hearing should not be mistaken for a final legal outcome.
Fans can also watch for developments in the reported main lawsuit over the validity of the contracts. Separately, sources list October 13, 2026, as the scheduled first trial date in Cha Ga-won’s criminal case, which remains distinct from the EXO-CBX contract dispute.
Until the members, INB100, or the court provides further confirmation, the status of Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin’s upcoming solo work and EXO-CBX activities remains unconfirmed. The case is significant because it may reshape their management situation, but the available reporting does not establish that their music careers or EXO activities have stopped.