"I need them to come back already"— Fans react as EXO's Lay cheers for Suho and Chanyeol performing The First Snow at SM TOWN

On January 11, 2025, EXO's Lay, aka Zhang Yixing, was spotted cheering with a light stick for his groupmates Suho and Chanyeol during their performance of The First Snow at SM Town. A fan in the audience captured this moment, where Lay, currently not part of the performance, showed his unwavering support.

The fan's video quickly went viral, eliciting a wave of emotions from EXO-Ls. Fans expressed their longing for all EXO members to reunite. Lay's supportive gesture further fueled excitement for a potential full group comeback, with one EXO-L (EXO's fandom name) commenting:

"I need them to come back already"

Other fans echoed similar sentiments on the social media platform.

"I've been waiting for this moment for 8 years OMG" commented this EXO-L.

"I never lose hope that someday, @layzhang will be back with his brothers 😭 manifesting OT9 comeback in 2025" shared a fan.

"I'm not even EXO-L but I feel happy everytimes to see their moment 🥹🥹" wrote one netizen.

"I cried until I felt my heart jump out. Oh my love, he is so tired that he walks with an oxygen cylinder wherever he goes. We don’t need to talk about how much they drove him crazy all these years and deprived him of everything. But my love, as soon as he had the chance to be with the members and fulfill his promise to us, he came running. By God, we will not find a heart like Lay’s.😞" read a comment on X.

The performance of The First Snow was a nostalgic moment for many, and Lay's reaction only intensified fans' desire for the complete EXO lineup to return. However, many fans also expressed frustration with SM Entertainment for not including Lay in the performance.

"I feel so bad😭 that’s his song too. Lay is so busy and he being the ceo of his company is managing everything and SM let him come despite his busy schedule just to made him sit there as an audience. SM really take his loyalty for granted and took advantage previously too" expressed one EXO-L.

"F*** SM much He should be there with them 🥹😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭" commented another fan.

"THEY LITERALLY JUST INVITED HIM TO WATCH. JUST TO WATCH not even perform f*** sm" said this X user.

"despite his busy schedule, he still managed to fix his time to watch SMTOWN for suyeol. my OT9 heart 🥺🫶" added one individual on X.

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EXO's The First Snow: A winter anthem and Lay's absence from group activities

The First Snow is a song by South Korean–Chinese boy group EXO, released on December 9, 2013, as a part of their second extended play, Miracles in December. The track, written and produced by Kenzie, was released in both Korean and Chinese versions under SM Entertainment. A pop ballad, The First Snow conveys a sense of nostalgia, reminiscing about a past lover, and has become a seasonal favorite, especially during the winter months.

The song debuted at number two on South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart in 2013 and has seen a resurgence in popularity each December, particularly after the first snowfall. Its blend of acoustic R&B and festive elements, such as jingle bells, contributes to its enduring appeal, making The First Snow a holiday classic for EXO-Ls and music fans alike.

In 2023, the song experienced a significant boost in recognition due to a viral dance challenge initiated by EXO's Sehun. This challenge featured him dancing with snowflakes falling around him, capturing the spirit of the track. His performance inspired many K-pop idols and fans to join in, creating a global phenomenon.

The challenge included members from groups like NCT, Stray Kids, Aespa, and others, with EXO members also participating, including Lay, who showed his continued commitment to EXO despite his departure from SM Entertainment.

For those unfamiliar with Lay (Zhang Yixing), he established a personal agency in 2015 in partnership with SM Entertainment to oversee his solo activities in China. This arrangement allowed him to focus on his individual career while remaining part of EXO. However, in June 2017, SM Entertainment announced that he would not participate in EXO's upcoming album promotions due to scheduling conflicts with his solo projects.

While the idol remained connected to the group, his active participation was limited for several years. In 2018, he contributed vocals to the Chinese version of EXO's hit track, Tempo.

However, it wasn’t until May 2021 that he officially returned to group activities. The idol rejoined EXO for their special album, Don't Fight the Feeling, participating in all the songs and featuring in the music video for the title track. This marked his long-awaited reunion with the group after focusing extensively on his solo career.