EXO's Kai began his military service on May 11, a duty that every South Korean man must fulfill. The particular disappointment felt by fans and the public regarding Kai's enlistment stems from its unexpected timing.

Originally, Kai was preparing for EXO's full-group (Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and Sehun) comeback in mid-year, to commemorate the 11th anniversary of their debut. Given the five-year hiatus of full-group activities due to the consecutive enlistments of other members, expectations were high for this comeback. EXO themselves fueled these expectations by hosting a full-group fan meeting in April, hinting at a complete return.

However, the sudden news of Kai's enlistment on the 3rd threw the anticipated timing of the full-group comeback into uncertainty once again. This was unexpected not only for fans and members but also for Kai himself. Born in 1994, Kai was expected to enlist later this year or early next year, but given that the Military Manpower Administration has typically accepted entertainment activities as a reason to postpone enlistment, it was anticipated that the full-group comeback scheduled for mid-year could proceed without issue. Some have speculated that Kai's enlistment was sped up due to a change in the atmosphere regarding celebrity enlistment deferrals after the recent controversy surrounding Ravi's military exemption.

The emotions Kai felt about enlisting suddenly without having much time left before EXO's much-anticipated full-group comeback were candidly expressed during a live broadcast he conducted on the 3rd. An emotional Kai, holding back tears, revealed, "I had plans for activities. I wish I had more time. It's disappointing and regrettable because I had prepared a lot."

This comeback, which EXO has been preparing for in the hope of a full-group return, is expected to proceed with the participation of members excluding Kai. However, whether EXO can immediately prepare for a full-group comeback after Kai's discharge remains uncertain, as the enlistment period of Kai's same-aged member, Sehun, is also unpredictable.

The future plans of EXO members, who are expected to renew their contracts this year or next, also seem to hold the fate of EXO's full-group activities. Many fans and the public are hoping for the full renewal and full-group activities of EXO, the 'representative idol of the second generation,' but it's still a bit early to predict their future. Many veteran idol groups continue their activities by participating in full-group comebacks while being signed to different agencies. However, if some members transfer to other agencies, it becomes harder to coordinate the timing of full-group activities.

Various perspectives continue to follow the delay of EXO's full-group comeback, which was as disappointing as it was anticipated. We look forward to the future of EXO, who will return after their military service.

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