On August 24, 2015, Tao became the third Chinese member of Exo to file against SM and leave the group, being represented by the same legal team that represented former members Kris and Lu Han. On January 5, 2016, SM won one of its counter-lawsuits against Tao per the ruling of the Intermediate People's Court in Qingdao, China. The agency sued Tao over his failure to repay the company after his departure. They released an official statement saying, "SM has ongoing lawsuits against Exo members Wu Yifan (Kris), Luhan, and Tao for violating their exclusive contracts and partaking in illegal promotions in China. Among these lawsuits, SM filed a lawsuit against Tao for failing to repay SM on October 13, 2015. An intermediate court in Qingdao, China made the verdict that Tao is to repay SM as well as interest for the delayed payment."