Xiumin of EXO completes birthday fan meeting amid agency's unpaid fee controversy

22 Mar 2026, 01:38 by hjang · allkpop

Xiumin, a member of the group EXO, has successfully concluded his solo birthday fan meeting, even as his agency faces public allegations regarding unpaid production fees. According to INB100, the event, titled '2026 XIUMIN BIRTHDAY FANMEETING [XIUMIN's Voyage Crew - Join now!], was held for two sessions on March 21, 2026, at XSCALA in Seoul. The fan meeting utilized an immersive storytelling format where Xiumin (also known as Kim Min Seok) acted as the 'Captain' taking his 'Crew' (fans) on a voyage. The journey began with a dreamlike performance of 'Fireflies', followed by an 'Inauguration Ceremony' where the artist and fans took a joint oath to strengthen their bond.

The event was packed with diverse interactive segments across several "islands." In the 'Captain Ability Test' section, Xiumin entertained the audience by taking on challenges such as balance games, an RC car mission, and a luck test. This was followed by the '1st Mate Selection' contest, an OX quiz that allowed for direct communication with the fans. A particular highlight was the 'Ship Party' segment, where Xiumin performed various challenge stages selected through fan votes, followed by a 'Campfire' Q&A session for deeper emotional connection. The singer performed a setlist including 'Make You LaLa', 'Dandelion', and 'Love is U'. After a birthday cake celebration and photo time, Xiumin expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much for joining me on this short journey today."

Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the event was overshadowed by a statement from the video production company 815 VIDEO released on March 19. The firm alleged that INB100 has failed to settle an outstanding balance of 65.96 million KRW from a total project fee of 82.46 million KRW for a music video and teaser produced in August 2025. Although a down payment of 16.50 million KRW was made, the remainder has been withheld for months despite repeated requests for payment following the resignation of the original manager in charge. 815 VIDEO expressed deep regret that the content is already being used for official promotions without proper compensation and warned of legal action to protect their contractual rights if the debt is not settled immediately.

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