Former EXO member Tao (Yonhap)

Tao, a former Chinese member of the popular boy band EXO, on Friday lost the lawsuit he filed against the group’s management agency to nullify his exclusive contract.

The Seoul Central District Court turned down the 24-year-old singer‘s request to nullify his management contract with S.M. Entertainment.

Tao filed the lawsuit in August 2015 after leaving the group without approval with two other Chinese members, Kris and Luhan.

He claimed in his written opinion to the court that the contract had unjust terms, according to court officials. But S.M. countered that there is no legal problem with the contract.

Since June 2014, S.M. has engaged in a legal battle in South Korea and China against the three members who allegedly left their team without approval and engaged in non-contracted entertainment activities with various other companies. (Yonhap)