A Day EXO-Ls Have Been Waiting For – Sehun Military Service Ends on Sept 20, 2025
You can feel the mood shift—timelines brighter, captions softer, that familiar “We Are One” echo getting a little louder. With Sehun completing his military service on September 20, 2025, EXO is whole again. Not “active in parts,” not “holding the fort with a sub-unit”—whole. For fans who have marked their calendars through goodbyes and homecomings since 2019, this isn’t just a date; it’s the closing scene of a long chapter and the opening shot of whatever comes next.
Why This Homecoming Hits Different
Sehun has always carried that maknae spark: cool onstage, playful offstage, steady in a way that feels like gravity. When the last member returns, the room changes. The group’s center of mass snaps back into place; schedules stop feeling like puzzles; plans can be made with all microphones in the same circle. And there’s a deeper layer, too: so much of EXO’s story has been about resilience—reshuffling, adapting, showing up for each other and for EXO-L. Today feels like a thank-you note written in real time.
Sehun Completes Military Service
The Enlistment Era at a Glance
From first salute to final discharge, here’s the quick timeline every fan has had saved somewhere:
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Xiumin — Discharged December 6, 2020
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D.O. (Do Kyung-soo) — Discharged January 25, 2021
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Suho — Discharged February 13, 2022
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Chen — Discharged April 25, 2022
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Chanyeol — Discharged September 28, 2022
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Baekhyun — Discharged February 5, 2023
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Kai — Discharged February 10, 2025
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Sehun — Discharged September 20, 2025
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Lay (Zhang Yixing) — Not subject to SK conscription; participation varies by project
Seen together like this, the scale of the wait becomes obvious: five years of staggered service, pandemic protocols, and quiet patience—fans cheering solo wins while keeping a full-group playlist on standby.
What “Complete” Means in 2025
Being complete isn’t just emotional; it’s practical. It means rehearsals where harmonies stack the way they were written. It means variety shows that can lean into the chaos of a full sofa. It means a tour setlist that doesn’t need creative gaps. Musically, EXO is at their best when all colors are on the palette: Baekhyun’s edge, Chen’s clarity, D.O.’s warmth, Suho’s anchor, Xiumin’s spark, Chanyeol’s texture, Kai’s presence, Sehun’s cool, and—when schedules align—Lay’s tone threading through the mix.
The Lay & CBX Question (Honest and Simple)
Conversation will keep circling two things: Will Lay join? And how will CBX activities intersect with group plans? The most grounded answer right now is: watch the credits when teasers drop. EXO has always found ways to make a moment out of whatever lineup is confirmed—expect the same here, with room left on stage for surprises.
The Atmosphere Right Now
Scroll any feed and you’ll see it: old concert clips resurfacing, fan art multiplying, people swapping first-bias stories like postcards. There’s laughter about “we survived the spreadsheet era,” and there are quiet posts that feel like diaries—how this group was a constant through exams, night shifts, new cities. A full EXO doesn’t cancel those years; it crowns them. The fandom’s language today is gratitude.
Sehun Completes Military Service
December 2025: The Comeback Window
Industry chatter says December is the target for a group release. That timing makes sense: year-end stages, winter playlists, the kind of festive roll-out that EXO knows how to own. It also leaves just enough runway after Sehun’s discharge for a sensible, healthy prep cycle—recording, choreography tweaks, jacket shoots, MV work, the whole machine spinning up in rhythm.
What We Might Hear
EXO’s DNA is harmony. Even on high-energy tracks, the choruses feel like architecture—voices layered like glass and steel. A winter comeback could lean into mid-tempo anthems (the ones that feel big but breathe), or flip the script with a dance-forward title that lights up year-end stages. Either way, expect bridges that lift, ad-libs that sting, and a second verse that knows how to move.
What We Might See
Think of concepts that read across cameras and arenas: clean silhouettes, tailored movement, light design that paints the music instead of shouting over it. The wardrobe sweet spot for EXO is always “grown but playful”—sharp lines with a hint of mischief. If the lineup includes special appearances, anticipate blocking that builds to those reveals; if not, watch how the camera celebrates the eight on deck.
Member Momentum Heading In
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Suho keeps the compass steady—leader energy that reads like warmth more than volume.
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Baekhyun turns a chorus into a memory; a single high note can trend for days.
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Chen remains the emotional engine—ballads, yes, but also shade and glow in tighter R&B cuts.
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Chanyeol is the toolkit: rap, guitar, presence, the guy directors love for “one more take.”
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D.O. brings actorly stillness and that unmistakable tone—the word “comfort” in a voice.
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Xiumin is the spark plug, tidy lines and sudden grins, the heartbeat of fan chants.
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Kai is the camera’s favorite verb; movement looks different on him.
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Sehun adds the maknae cool and a feeling you can’t fake: this is everyone.
Why This Moment Matters Beyond a Release
Kpop runs on tempo—song to stage to schedule—but it also runs on story. EXO’s story has always had layers: triumph and turbulence, change and continuity, a group that learned to bend without breaking. That’s why Sehun’s discharge lands like a chord resolving. It’s not just about “new music soon.” It’s about eight (and sometimes nine) people who kept choosing to meet in the middle, even when the middle moved.
Bottom Line
Circle the date you’ve been repeating out loud: September 20, 2025. The last salute is done, the last calendar crossed out. EXO is complete, and the room feels different because of it. If the winter comeback materializes the way people expect, it won’t just be another release—it’ll be a reunion set to music, a reminder of why this group keeps threading generations of fans together. Welcome home, Sehun. See you soon, EXO.
Sources: Tumblr fan community notice (FY! SEHUN OH); The Korea Times — EXO’s December comeback, Lay & CBX questions; ABS-CBN — EXO hints at December 2025 release
