A Seoul court found that unpaid settlements had damaged the relationship of trust between Chen, Baekhyun, Xiumin and INB100. However, the group’s main lawsuit is not over.
EXO-CBX members Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin have gained the freedom to pursue entertainment activities independently of INB100, at least for now.
On September 15, the Seoul Central District Court granted the three EXO members’ request for an injunction suspending their exclusive contracts with the agency.
The decision immediately limits INB100’s control over the artists while a separate lawsuit concerning the validity of their contracts continues.
However, the ruling does not permanently cancel the contracts, settle every dispute involving EXO-CBX or determine the members’ future relationship with SM Entertainment.
What Did the Court Order?
The court suspended the effect of EXO-CBX’s exclusive contracts with INB100 until a first-instance ruling is delivered in the members’ main lawsuit.
During this period, INB100 cannot enter agreements with broadcasters or other third parties against the members’ wishes. The agency is also prohibited from compelling them to perform entertainment activities or interfering with work they arrange independently.
In practical terms, Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin can now negotiate and carry out individual entertainment activities without requiring INB100 to manage or approve them. However, any other valid contracts or legal obligations may still apply.
The decision gives the members immediate professional freedom while preventing a potentially lengthy lawsuit from restricting their careers.
Why Did the Court Side With EXO-CBX?
The dispute largely centers on allegations of unpaid contractual and settlement payments.
According to the court, INB100 was obligated to distribute settlement payments when revenue was generated through the members’ entertainment activities. The court found that those payments had not been made.
It concluded that INB100’s failure had damaged the fundamental relationship of trust required to maintain an exclusive artist-management contract.
“The basic relationship of trust underlying the contracts has collapsed,” the court said, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The court also considered the effect that a prolonged lawsuit could have on the members’ careers. It noted that preventing EXO-CBX from working independently throughout the remaining contract period could seriously restrict their freedom to choose and pursue their profession.
INB100 reportedly did not attend the September 7 injunction hearing or submit separate written arguments before the proceedings concluded.
The Contracts Have Not Been Permanently Canceled
The most important legal distinction is that an injunction is a temporary protective measure.
The court has not issued a final ruling declaring the exclusive contracts permanently invalid. Instead, it has frozen their effect until the first decision in EXO-CBX’s main lawsuit.
That lawsuit seeks formal confirmation that the contracts no longer have legal force.
The court will still need to examine whether the members had sufficient grounds to terminate their contracts, which payments were allegedly withheld and whether either party breached its contractual duties.
No date has been set for the first hearing in the main case.
The current situation can therefore be summarized simply: EXO-CBX can work independently now, but the final legal status of their INB100 contracts remains unresolved.
What Changes for Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin?
The injunction removes INB100’s ability to control or obstruct the members’ individual entertainment activities while the main case is pending.
This could allow the three artists to pursue music releases, performances, television appearances, endorsements and other projects through new arrangements.
It does not necessarily mean that EXO-CBX has already signed with another agency. It simply means INB100 cannot rely on the suspended contracts to prevent the members from operating independently.
The practical value of the ruling is significant. Entertainment careers depend heavily on timing, and waiting through years of litigation could result in lost releases, canceled appearances and missed commercial opportunities.
The court specifically recognized that risk when assessing the need for immediate protection.
Does the Decision Affect EXO or SM Entertainment?
The INB100 ruling should not be confused with EXO-CBX’s separate contractual history involving SM Entertainment.
INB100 has managed the members’ individual and unit activities, while their participation in EXO and parts of their relationship with SM have been governed by separate arrangements.
The latest injunction concerns only the exclusive contracts between Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin and INB100. It does not remove the three artists from EXO, dissolve the group or automatically settle any separate disagreements involving SM Entertainment.
EXO-CBX and SM have been involved in disputes since 2023 concerning contracts, individual activities and revenue arrangements. Those issues remain legally distinct from the present INB100 case.
How Did the INB100 Dispute Begin?
Baekhyun established INB100 in June 2023. The company was later incorporated into ONE HUNDRED as an affiliated label in May 2024.
EXO-CBX reportedly notified INB100 between March and April 2026 that they were terminating their contracts, citing unpaid signing and settlement payments.
After the agency did not accept the termination, the members filed both an injunction request and a lawsuit seeking confirmation that the contracts were no longer valid on August 18.
Their application argued that they could not continue under an exclusive relationship after the agency allegedly failed to fulfill essential financial obligations.
The legal conflict also comes during a period of instability surrounding ONE HUNDRED and its affiliated labels. However, criminal allegations involving company executives are separate proceedings and should not be treated as proof of the contractual claims made by EXO-CBX.
What Happens Next?
The focus will now shift to the main lawsuit.
The court will eventually determine whether the members’ termination notices were legally valid and whether the alleged nonpayment or other contractual violations were serious enough to end the exclusive relationship permanently.
Until the first-instance judgment is issued, the injunction protects EXO-CBX’s ability to continue their careers outside INB100’s control.
The immediate outcome is clear even if the broader legal battle remains unfinished.
Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin can move forward with their activities. Who ultimately retains contractual rights, and whether those contracts legally survive, will be decided another day.