A former member of one of K-pop's top idol groups explained why he left the group in 2014.

Kris (also known as Wu Yi Fan,) left SM Entertainment's megagroup EXO in 2014, and spoke to Chinese media about his reasons for leaving the group and company. On a Chinese television show that aired on Feb. 4, Kris explained that being away from his family had been too difficult so he returned to China to pursue his career there, closer to his family.

According to MBN Star News, Kris appeared on the Chinese show 春滿 (Chunman, literally translated as 'Spring') and spoke about his decision to leave EXO.

"Trainee life is very difficult. But it was the distance that was really hard. For seven years I was in Korea far from my family and I couldn't be with them even for holidays. I missed my home." Kris added that, "Other things were okay. It's what I wanted to do."

Kris left EXO in May 2014, while EXO was in the midst of promoting its song "Overdose." His departure was followed in Oct. 2014, when another former EXO member Luhan also left the group. Both Luhan and Kris were Chinese members of EXO's Mandarin language subgroup EXO-M. Kris was the leader of EXO-M prior to leaving the group.

SM Entertainment has met both Kris and Luhan to try and settle the lawsuits that each former EXO member brought against the company, but neither lawsuit has been settled outside of court. Both lawsuits were brought to cancel exclusivity contracts with SM Entertainment, with Kris's claiming that SM Entertainment disregard basic human rights and overworked him during his time in EXO. Luhan's lawsuit included the claim that SM Entertainment favored EXO-K, EXO's Korean language subgroup, over EXO-M.

EXO debuted in 2012 with EXO-M and EXO-K originally debuting as two entirely separate groups, promoting in China and Korea respectively. The two groups formally joined together as one group to promote beginning in 2013, with the release of the album "XOXO."

Since leaving EXO, Kris has begun an acting and singing career in China.