After an almost yearlong absence, the seventh member of breakout Ok-pop group RIIZE will rejoin his band mates.
RIIZE’s official social media accounts introduced that Seunghan will regularly take part in choose group actions beginning in November, marking a return that’s been extremely anticipated but fraught with complicated controversy.
Starting in August 2023, Seunghan’s break stemmed from pre-debut images and movies of the younger star leaking that ignited backlash inside a few of South Korea’s extra conservative social local weather. The pictures confirmed Seunghan in a mattress with an unidentified girl and smoking a cigarette, resulting in some followers labeling his actions as inappropriate for a Ok-pop idol and demanding his elimination from RIIZE. Final November, the group’s label, SM Leisure, introduced that Seunghan would “halt actions indefinitely” whereas reflecting on his habits with no additional updates from the label in a call that left followers and business insiders pressured to take a position about his future.
The controversy surrounding Seunghan’s return mirrored the broader pressure between the worldwide aspirations of Ok-pop artists and the expectations positioned on them by home audiences. Whereas RIIZE has earned worldwide popularity of music and the group’s genuine method to social media and fan connection — highlighted in a Billboard digital cowl touting them as “Ok-pop stars on the rise” from this previous June — Seunghan’s scenario highlights the strain more and more worldwide idols face to uphold conventional values in a quickly modernizing business.
Within the assertion, SM Leisure acknowledged each Seunghan’s private progress throughout his time away and the label’s inside deliberation on the timing of his return. Whereas many followers will welcome his reappearance (a web based petition requesting his return had 20,000 signatures), the choice to reintegrate him into RIIZE marks a pivotal second in how the group will navigate its future trajectory each at house and overseas and, doubtlessly, how the Ok-pop business can extra seamlessly navigate controversies of cultural clashes.
Seunghan adopted up on the assertion with a handwritten letter uploaded to RIIZE’s Weverse account, through which he apologized to his followers, firm, and band mates. The 21-year-old shared that he questioned his future as a musician however identified that his RIIZE members Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Sohee and Anton really reached out to him.
“As a result of I triggered such nice disappointment, I continued to have extra life like ideas akin to, ‘Will I be capable to stand on stage once more?’” he wrote. “Throughout that point, the members held my hand as soon as once more. It should have been a really troublesome resolution, and I’m solely full of gratitude and apologetic emotions for giving me one other likelihood. I do know there’s a lot I want to point out to the members who’ve taken my hand once more, the followers who’re nervous that the achievements made in my absence may be tarnished, and the corporate that made the robust resolution. After all, I really feel burden and concern about this.”
Earlier right this moment (Oct. 10), RIIZE launched the “KENZIE RE:WORKS” remix of their pre-release buzz single “Recollections,” which dropped forward of the septet’s official debut in September 2023.
Learn the total assertion under (with translation offered through Soompi):
To the BRIIZE [RIIZE’s fandom] who love RIIZE,
Hi there, that is Wizard Manufacturing, who’s in control of producing for RIIZE. We want to cautiously make a press release relating to member Seunghan’s return and the path of RIIZE’s future actions.
Because the followers know, it has been round 10 months since Seunghan went on a hiatus from group actions as a result of points along with his pre-debut private life.
Seunghan acknowledges that his previous actions had been mistaken, and he has at the moment halted actions for practically a yr whereas deeply reflecting [on his actions] and feeling apologetic to the opposite members and his followers. We additionally acknowledged that Seunghan’s previous actions weren’t applicable as an artist, which is why it took us a very long time to debate the timing of his return to actions.
As a result of there was no announcement relating to Seunghan’s actions, the followers went past curiosity to grow to be nervous and anxious, and we empathize with these emotions. However as we continued to debate the matter from varied angles, [our decision took some time], and we sincerely apologize for the truth that we’re solely now telling you our resolution concerning the path of RIIZE’s future actions.
We poured our coronary heart and soul into planning out RIIZE even earlier than their debut, and we now have decided that RIIZE’s subsequent chapter can be much more significant if the seven members had been collectively. Subsequently, after quite a few discussions with the employees and members concerning the path of the group’s future actions, it has been determined that Seunghan can be returning to the group. After becoming a member of the group and making ready for a sure period of time, we plan for Seunghan to regularly take part in a few of the group’s scheduled actions for November and greet the followers as soon as once more.
Even throughout his hiatus, Seunghan has persistently labored to construct his expertise, and as he nonetheless has loads to point out you sooner or later, we hope that you’ll look warmly upon him.
As soon as once more, we sincerely apologize for inflicting confusion and problem for the followers who’ve watched over and cheered for RIIZE’s progress. Nonetheless, as RIIZE is a gaggle that goals to rise and understand their desires collectively, the members consider the group as their high precedence and are, even at this very second, working onerous to apply [for their future activities]. We ask that you just belief our resolution in order that we will correctly present the followers a RIIZE consisting of seven members.
We’re sure that many individuals are interested in what RIIZE’s subsequent chapter can be, how a lot farther they are going to rise, what kinds of desires they’re harboring, and the way they are going to understand these desires sooner or later. As a result of we, the people who find themselves the closest to RIIZE and who’re additionally passionate followers of RIIZE ourselves, are additionally eagerly trying ahead to RIIZE’s subsequent chapter.
We’ll proceed to work onerous sooner or later to repay [the fans] with RIIZE’s nice music and performances whereas sharing the members’ desires. We ask that you just stick with the members and share all of their moments of rising and realizing that can proceed to unfold sooner or later.
Seunghan’s Weverse letter (through Soompi):
Hi there, that is Seunghan.
Initially, I sincerely need to apologize to the members and the followers. When the images from earlier than my debut had been launched, though they had been images of me, I used to be deeply disillusioned and regretful about myself. If even I felt that method, I can’t even think about how the members and followers by my facet should have felt.
You have to have been offended, shocked, and disillusioned. I’m actually sorry to the followers who supported us from the very starting, which was such an important time, and to those that had been harm by my immature actions. I additionally really feel sorry to the members, with whom I ought to have been working onerous to maneuver ahead collectively, which led to my sudden suspension of actions. I need to apologize to everybody who needed to endure and overcome that scenario. I felt each sorry for the scenario and a way of despair at not having the ability to be with everybody.
As a result of I triggered such nice disappointment, I continued to have extra life like ideas akin to, “Will I be capable to stand on stage once more? Can I proceed making music?”
Throughout that point, the members held my hand as soon as once more. It should have been a really troublesome resolution, and I’m solely full of gratitude and apologetic emotions for giving me one other likelihood.
I do know there’s a lot I want to point out to the members who’ve taken my hand once more, the followers who’re nervous that the achievements made in my absence may be tarnished, and the corporate that made the robust resolution. After all, I really feel burden and concern about this facet.
Nonetheless, I’m decided to work even tougher and do higher due to the belief positioned in me.
I’ll try to be a superb member who takes duty and doesn’t tarnish the achievements the members have constructed up. I need to grow to be a obligatory presence to the workforce RIIZE.
As soon as once more, I need to apologize to the members and firm employees who made the troublesome resolution and to the followers who should have been shocked. I’ll work extra diligently and responsibly sooner or later.
