Xiumin enlisted earlier this year and D.O. followed suit. The separate announcements of them beginning to fulfill their mandatory military service hit the EXO-Ls hard, not to mention that Xiumin cried on Kai's arms during his fanmeet a few days before he enters the camp.
It was truly heart-shattering, we know. Lay, on the other hand, has been inactive from EXO's activities due to factors that are beyond K-pop and is a lot more complicated than one can imagine.
While we're here constantly dreaming of the day that the OT9 will make its comeback, or if you're specifically missing Xiumin, D.O., and Lay, we're with you. As our attempt to ease the pain, we listed 6 songs that we can stream while waiting for their return as nine.
1. "That's Okay" (D.O., SM Station)
D.O. released this solo Station song around that time that he enlisted. It does not only help us cope with his absence but also tells us, in every tough circumstance that we are into, everything is well.
2. "Tell Me (What is Love)" (D.O. and Yoo Youngin, SM Station)
This R&B track is then-rookie D.O.'s collaborative track with Yoo Youngin, and it proved that his vocals indeed suit the genre so well. It's one of the classics that we can't stop listening to once your shuffling playlist begins to "play it on a slow jam."
3. "You" (Xiumin, SM Station)
This solo track was Xiumin's gift to EXO-Ls when he enlisted. He first and last sang it live during his fan meet, "Xiuweet Time," days before he entered the military camp. The beautifully-written lyrics plus Xiumin's gorgeous vocals are such a powerful "attack" to our aching hearts.
4. "Call You Bae" (Xiumin and AOA's Jimin)
Elsas (individual fan base name for Xiumin) know this song by heart. Released in 2016, the song won't fail to make your heart flutter like how Xiumin feels in the adorable, pastel-themed music video.
5. "I NEED U" (Lay, 'Lay 02 SHEEP')
The EXO's main dancer and self-made Mandopop star did not just yet again showcased his composing, record-producing, and top-tier dancing skills in this track but also his tender heart. "I NEED U" is his tribute to his grandparents, and we mean, like, who does it like him?
The song was released prior to the unveiling of the album, along with a lengthy letter detailing the love story of his grandparents who he hold so dear.
6. "Don't Let Me Go" (Lay, 'Namanana')
The album's Track 10 can trigger emotions, especially if you're a Xingmi/Xback (Individual fan base name for Lay) or a hardcore OT9 stan. Nonetheless, the tiny crumbs that we get from him and his EXO members - him liking his brothers' Instagram posts, promoting their solo and unit activities, and telling Ellie in a 2018 interview that he indeed is an EXO member - are all we live for.
