LETTER FROM SEOUL
Popular around the world, K-pop does not escape cultural differences. This is evidenced by the virulent controversy surrounding the final departure, on October 13, of Hong Seung-han, alias Seunghan, from the Riize group. The young singer had just joined the six other members of the group after ten months of estrangement for behavior deemed inappropriate in South Korea, but not in other countries.
Formed by South Korean powerhouse SM Entertainment to become a flagship K-pop group and heavily promoted, Riize released their debut album, Get a GuitarSeptember 4, 2023. In one week, 1 million copies were sold.
But, soon, Seunghan found himself caught in controversies regarding his private life. The singer was criticized for a video in which he attacked Soobin, the leader of K-pop group Tomorrow “incompetence in singing, dancing and rapping”. The attacks intensified after the release of another video, taken in Japan, showing him smoking. Added to this was a photo showing him on a bed, kissing his former girlfriend. However, he was under 20 years old and was therefore legally a minor.
Rather innocuous by Western standards, these revelations are taken very seriously in South Korea – as they would be in Japan or China – where conservative values still dominate and where stars are considered models and therefore held accountable. to exemplary behavior. Some production agencies even prohibit any intimate relationships.
“Striving to become a better person”
As a result, a significant portion of South Korean fans don’t watch anything. In 2020, Chen, a singer with K-pop group EXO, apologized after announcing his engagement to his current wife. Since then, fans have been urging him to leave the group. In March, Karina of Aespa, another SM Entertainment group, apologized after Korean media exposed her relationship with actor Lee Jae-wook. The couple separated the following month.
In Riize’s case, fans went as far as protesting outside SM headquarters with trucks broadcasting messages demanding Seunghan’s departure. Describing the singer’s private life as“inappropriate”they consider that it represents a lasting shadow on the group’s image.
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