I read some comments saying (not spitefully) that Tao is now a new Tao and that he was a kid and now has matured (after leaving).

I don't really agree :) Tao is Tao, he has always been the true Huang Zi Tao. Tao has always said what bothered him when it didn't affect others (there are things he never talked about in public and that are hurting HIM and making people misunderstand him, but he never talked about them because they obviously were gonna hurt other members... I should not say further on this, but take this from a 3 y.o VVHL...) Tao has always defended EXO and spoken up when someone hurt an EXO member. I actually am so proud of him because you don't always see artists responding to their companies like that, he's revealing the ugly truth: the everyone-loves-everyone in kpop has never existed...