K-Pop singer Seunghan is leaving the boy group RIIZE, in line with a social media post from the group’s official account.
The news comes just two days after Wizard Production, the SM Entertainment production team in charge of the group, announced the 21-year-old could be making his long-awaited return from an almost yearlong hiatus.
In an announcement posted to RIIZE’s official account on X (formerly Twitter) on Oct. 13, translated by Soompi, Wizard Production apologized to BRIIZE (the official name for the group’s fanbase) for “hurting” and “causing confusion” with their Oct. 11 announcement that Seunghan could be returning to the group. The fast reversal appeared to come as a surprise to the group’s fanbase, with lots of the post’s replies and reposts coming from seemingly shocked and upset fans.
Seunghan was placed on an indefinite hiatus in November 2023 after photos and videos from his personal life before the group debuted were leaked online. The leaks showed him kissing an unidentified woman in a bed and smoking a cigarette.
The Oct. 11 statement, translated by Soompi, that announced Seunghan’s return expressed optimism in regards to the group’s future, explaining that the singer was expected to return to group activities in November.
The statement read partly: “We [Wizard Production] poured our heart and soul into planning out RIIZE even before their debut, and we now have determined that RIIZE’s next chapter could be much more meaningful if the seven members were together. Subsequently, after quite a few discussions with the staff and members in regards to the direction of the group’s future activities, it has been decided that Seunghan can be returning to the group.”
The Oct. 13 statement said the corporate thought Seunghan returning after “reflecting on his past wrongdoings” would “have the option to provide the artist and the fans greater joy.” It continued: “Nevertheless, the announcement of his return, we ruminated rigorously on every certainly one of the opinions and responses sent in by fans, and we realized that our decision had actually hurt fans more and caused them greater confusion as a substitute.”
“At the identical time, Seunghan has consistently expressed his desire to go away the group for the sake of the members and the fans. Out of respect for the artist’s decision, we’re announcing Seunghan’s departure from RIIZE, as a substitute of his joining the group,” the statement continued.
In a handwritten letter posted to fan platform Weverse, Seunghan explained his departure from the group. “After pondering deeply whether I’ve been considering only of myself an excessive amount of, whether I’m causing an excessive amount of harm to the members and the corporate, and whether it’s really okay for me to be a part of RIIZE, who needs to be loved, I only felt fearful and apologetic,” he said within the statement, translated by Soompi.
“So I feel that my leaving the group is the fitting path for everybody. I don’t need to cause any more hurt or confusion for the fans, and I don’t need to harm the members any further, and I also don’t need to hurt the corporate any further,” he continued within the statement.
The singer added within the statement he didn’t want the connection between RIIZE and its fans to be “damaged.” “It also breaks my heart to see the fans, for whom it needs to be good enough to simply love RIIZE, fighting with one another due to me,” he wrote.
On the time of publication, a Change.Org petition created on Oct. 13 titled “We wish seunghan back! Riize is 7!!!!!” posted by a user named Lauren Lim had garnered over 85,000 signatures.
RIIZE has not released any further statements.
