Nothing is more heartbreaking than knowing your bias is leaving the band. This triggers the memories of being a STAY when Kim Woo Jin left Stray Kids. If it’s so distressing for a fan, imagine the predicament of the fellow band members.
Every time a member has to leave the band, it can be either out of choice or due to scandals. Although agencies stand by the artist, the external pressure from the fandom can lead to the idol’s departure from the group.
And the latest case seems to have divided the netizens’ opinions.
On November 22, 2023, SM Entertainment released an official statement announcing Seunghan’s indefinite hiatus from the K-pop boy band RIIZE. Seunghan also penned down an apology for his past actions. Last month, Seunghan was involved in a pre-debut dating scandal when he was a minor, dating a minor. In light of these revelations, Seunghan will be sitting out from RIIZE’s forthcoming group activities.
Why RIIZE’s Seunghan Is Going On a Hiatus?
Young love is a paradox– boasting about purity while being the most notorious. Teenage love is always forgiven and remembered as a lesson learned. But what if your former flame comes to haunt your present?
SM’s rookie group RIIZE is one of the most anticipated debuts of this year. For those unversed, any boy band in the past that had debuted under SM Entertainment was already creating a buzz even before entering the industry, such as SHINEE, EXO, and more. Naturally, people were excited to see what the new generation of the SM world would bring to the table.
RIIZE was perceived positively by netizens even during their pre-debut activities. But now, the group that has barely even debuted faces the first hurdle.
Seunghan’s past images have resurfaced on the internet. The pictures show an intimate relationship between Seunghan and his girlfriend at the time. Netizens condemned his actions since he was dating a minor. But the fact of the matter was that Seunghan himself was a minor in those pictures.
This created quite a ruckus in the fandom, where several of them demanded his removal from the band.
SM Entertainment has finally announced that Seunghan will not be participating in the upcoming RIIZE group activities in light of the scandal. They stated that Seunghan will be going on an indefinite hiatus.
Will Seunghan Leave RIIZE?
As per the official statement, Seunghan has not left the group. He is going on a hiatus, which gives the hope that he will resume his activities in the near future.
Meanwhile, Seunghan posted a penned letter on his socials, apologizing for his past actions. Here is the translated version of his post–
“Hello, this is Seunghan. First of all, I would like to say that I am very sorry. I know very well that my careless actions from the past are now hurting many people. I am sincerely reflecting on myself. I want to apologize to the fans who have supported me and the RIIZE members.
I am deeply reflecting on myself and the fact that I have caused so much damage at a time when I should have been working harder than ever and focusing on what I need to do. I will continue to reflect and look deeper into myself so that I can become a better person.
Once again, I apologize to the members, fans, and staff.”
RIIZE’s Seunghan
He seems to be reflecting on his mistakes, which are blown out of proportion by the K-Netz. It’s safe to say that he will be back soon and resume his position in the group.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think Seunghan deserves to be removed from RIIZE?
Did the netizens overreact to the scandal? Let us know in the comments section below.
