SM Entertainment addressed rumors centered on an EXO Christmas album. On October 30, the agency issued a statement to Newsen, which neither confirmed or denied an upcoming release.
"Nothing concrete has been set about an EXO Christmas album," said a spokesperson for SM.
This statement followed initial reports that EXO was preparing for their comeback release, which would come in the form of another Christmas album.
The announcement was initially made through a social media post by Joombas Music Group, a Hollywood-based production company, which specializes in K-pop.
TV Report published the message, which hinted at a new release from the popular male group.
"Coming this winter, #EXO #Christmas #SM #Joombas," said the message published by Joombas.
Joombas was founded in 2013 and is previously credited for work with EXO, Girls' Generation, Teen Top, and SHINee.
EXO previously released a hit Christmas album in December 2013. Titled "Miracles in December," the six-track EP was published in both Korean and Chinese.
"Miracles in December" was a critically-acclaimed album, due to its mix of tender, soulful ballads and morose breakup songs. The release was also a commercial success, beating out its competitors in the cramped holiday market.
EXO is a staple of K-pop fans and the group continues to win over new audiences through their acting roles. Their recent Naver drama, "EXO Next Door," appealed to viewers through its witty dialogue and campy sketches which harkened to sitcoms of yesteryear.
While each member is embracing the possibility of becoming an acting idol from different angles, D.O. (Do Kyungsoo) emerged as a notable artist in both drama and film.
His notable roles include his silver screen debut in "Cart," his turn as the manifestation of Jo In Sung's schizophrenic delusions in "It's Okay, That's Love," and his recent spine-tingling cameo as a sociopathic killer in "I Remember You." He continues his streak as an actor with upcoming roles including the highly anticipated film, "Hyung," where he will appear opposite Park Shin Hye and Jo Jung Suk.
While the lackluster statement from SM may be disappointing to fans, excitement continues to build as EXO prepares for their upcoming Japanese debut. EXO debuted in 2012 and is slated to release a Japanese album on November 4. After three years of promoting with Korean and Chinese-language albums, this marks the first attempt EXO to directly reach audiences in Japan.
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Adrienne Stanley is a contributing editor at KDramaStars. She is also a contributing music writer at KpopStarz, MTV Iggy and other publications. When she is not listening to "Rhythm Ta," she can be found on Twitter. (@retrogirladdy).
