Former EXO member Tao held a wedding with Xu Yiyang, a former trainee of SM Entertainment. The ceremony took place in Sanya, Hainan, China, on the 16th and was themed as ‘Star of the Ocean’, with a galaxy concept stage, reportedly portraying it as a ‘luxury super-lavish wedding.’ However, reports reveal that the reality was quite different.
According to Chinese media such as Sohu, Tao prepared luxury cars, 12 wedding dresses, and souvenirs for the guests. However, the ‘star’ theme was limited to a few blue curtains and balloons. The venue featured plastic stuffed animal shapes scattered on the lawn and a flower wall made of fake hydrangeas. Industry insiders commented that typical celebrity weddings in Sanya include flower arches and large LED screens, with floral decorations alone costing hundreds of thousands of yuan.
Controversy arose as Tao claimed he organized a proposal event for Xu Yiyang, and she prepared the wedding as a form of gratitude. He also presented her with a 500-carat diamond ring at the ceremony, which was actually a fake product made of glass, too large for Xu Yiyang to wear, forcing her to hold it in her hand.
Tao continued his antics by making bizarre movements and throwing a bundle of broccoli as the bridal bouquet. At the end of the ceremony, he sprayed champagne all over Xu Yiyang’s head and face.
Post-wedding developments were not favorable either. The ceremony turned into a sales event, with chocolates and alcoholic beverages displayed with the slogan ‘benefit offer.’ Individual commemorative items were also announced for sale, including wedding posters and Polaroid photos with their autographs, priced at $9.9.
Tao debuted as an EXO member in 2012 but announced his departure in 2015 and filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment to terminate his contract, which the court ruled in favor of SM. Xu Yiyang was an SM Rookie who returned to China to join Long Tao Entertainment, established by Tao, to pursue her career.
The couple had been surrounded by dating rumors since 2020 but made no official statements until confirming their relationship in July last year and officially registering their marriage in December 2024.
Recently, Tao expanded his ventures into construction, dining, eSports, and sanitary pad businesses, but faced criticism when foreign substances were discovered in his launched sanitary pads.