It’s not a golden hour at the headquarters of K-pop label SM Entertainment.
RIIZE’s Seunghan is permanently quitting the boy group. The shocking news comes just days after the music act’s agency confirmed that he would be resuming his post following a long hiatus.
On Sunday, October 13, Wizard Production—the SM Entertainment division managing RIIZE—formally announced that Seunghan will no longer participate in the group. The 21-year-old artist reportedly expressed the desire to leave the band to safeguard his fellow members’ and fans’ feelings. Ultimately, he too, shared a handwritten letter on Weverse, sharing his side of the story.
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Check out the Wizard Production’s official post and Seunghan’s handwritten letter:
SM Entertainment’s Wizard Production’s official announcement:
“First, we sincerely apologize to all the BRIIZE fans for the distress and confusion caused by the announcement of Seunghan’s return on the 11th. We deeply regret that we prioritized the production’s stance over the growth that the six members of RIIZE have worked so hard to achieve, the invaluable support from Breeze that has been their greatest source of strength, and the precious time shared between RIIZE and Breeze fans.
We initially made the decision with the hope that if Seunghan reflected on his past mistakes, returned to the group, and contributed to RIIZE’s growth as a team once again, it could bring even greater happiness to both the artist and the fans. However, upon carefully reviewing each of the opinions and reactions sent by the fans after the announcement, we realized that our decision only led to further confusion and hurt for all of you.
At the same time, Seunghan expressed his intention to leave the team for the sake of his fellow members and the fans. Respecting his decision, we inform you that Seunghan will not be rejoining RIIZE but will instead be departing from the group. We will support Seunghan as he continues to pursue his talents and dreams in the future.
Above all, we deeply apologize for the difficulties and confusion caused to the six members of RIIZE, who have consistently given their best efforts for the fans since their debut, and who, more than anyone else, have constantly reflected and worked hard to bring RIIZE to where it is today.
We will continue to support the members of RIIZE in every aspect, so they can grow even further. Wizard Production promises to act with greater caution in all matters moving forward, ensuring that the time RIIZE and BRIIZE share together remains long-lasting and full of happiness,” as reported by PopBase.
Seunghan’s full letter:
“Hello, this is Seunghan.
I know that a lot of people have been thinking seriously about my return, and I’ve been deeply aware of the seriousness of the situation. As I reflected on whether I was only thinking of myself and if I caused significant harm to the company and the members, whether it is befitting for me to be in a group that is deserving of so much love, the only emotions that I experienced were feeling worried and sorry.
I believe the best decision for everyone is for me to leave the group.
I no longer want the fans to experience confusion or pain, nor do I want any more harm to come to the members and the company because of me.
I want to express my gratitude to the company and the members for making an effort to give me another chance, and I sincerely thank and apologize to those who supported me despite my shortcomings. I do not want the bond between RIIZE and BRIIZE, who have always supported and grown alongside each other, to be damaged. I also don’t want fans to argue because of me, when all they need is to continue loving RIIZE.
From the bottom of my heart, I will continue to support the group I love and wish for RIIZE to receive even more love in the future,” as quoted by AllKpop.
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Brief overview of Seunghan’s RIIZE connection and controversy-ridden past
RIIZE debuted last year as a seven-member group (Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee, and Anton). However, Seunghan was caught up in several controversies after his pre-debut pictures were leaked online. Numerous clips and other media pictured him smoking, spending time with girls and allegedly slandering a K-pop idol. Thereafter, for the sake of the other group members, the K-pop agency enforced a 10-month hiatus for Seunghan while the remaining six singers continued releasing new music and performing live.
On October 11, 2024, it was revealed that Seunghan would be resuming his activities as a RIIZE member. However, not all fans were happy about it. Some Korean ‘OT6′ enthusiasts initiated protests by sending ‘funeral wreaths’, urging the group’s company to remove the singer so the other members wouldn’t be tied down to his previous scandals.
Reactions to Seunghan’s exit from RIIZE
A great majority of international RIIZE fans (BRIIZE) set social media ablaze, accusing the management of handling this case “unprofessionally.”
A fan fumed in the comments, “Accepting bullying, normalising delusional and sasaeng behavior, and failing to protect a 21 yo artist while also putting another member in an uncomfortable position 30 minutes before they have to perform. Completely useless.”
Another heartbroken fan commented, “I REALLY HATE YOU. ALL OF YOU OT6.” A third wrote, “Once again bowing to bullying! You don’t know how to protect your artists! You only encourage this sick culture of bullying against an innocent!” Numerous others even started trending the hashtag “SMSupportsBullying.”
This is a developing story.
