EXO's Lay leaves SM Entertainment

EXO's Lay has announced his departure from SM Entertainment.

In handwritten letter on Twitter posted on the 10th anniversary of EXO's debut, the K-pop group's Chinese member paid tribute to "ten years of growth."

This decade is one of the greatest gifts I could’ve ever received. pic.twitter.com/7Cmpyygprg

— Lay Zhang (@layzhang) April 8, 2022

"Thank you to my EXO brothers for your company and encouragement. Thank you to my colleagues at SM for witnessing every step of my growth and achievement. Thank you for all of my fans for your unconditional love and support," he said.

Lay added that it was time to say goodbye as an employee of SM and mark his "new beginning as a 30-year-old."

"I will always be the Lay when my members need me. I'm your family member in China, Zhang Yixing," he said, referring to his real name.

EXO debuted under SM Entertainment on April 8, 2012. Lay was among the Chinese members of the group, which originally had 12 members.

After the departure of three members, EXO had gone on as a group of nine. Last year, they made a comeback with "Don't Fight The Feeling." —JCB, GMA News