Is Seunghan's exit from RIIZE setting an impossible precedent for K-Pop stars?

RIIZE's English remake of “Get a Guitar” was released in November, followed by funk duo Chromeo who remixed both versions in December. By all accounts, RIIZE was set up to become K-pop's next global player from the very first song with a new RCA corporate position touting “their down-to-earth personalities” and an SM Entertainment press release stating that RIIZE “embodies the concept of a group growing as one while achieving their dreams.”

While RIIZE and the teams worked to gain global exposure, they simultaneously faced an unfolding controversy involving Seunghan, with the aftermath ultimately questioning the team's image.

In August, private photos showing Seunghan kissing a woman were leaked, causing fans to be upset about the “idol-worthy” behavior. SM issued statements apologizing and threatened legal action against those who released the images. Another leak surfaced in October, this time a video of Seunghan smoking in public, leading SM to announce an indefinite suspension, a move that signals a tough approach to RIIZE's image.

What followed was 10 months of silence about Seunghan's status in the group as RIIZE tried to spread his name internationally. RIIZING DAY's Fan-Con tour hit Asia and North America in the spring and summer, with recorded incidents in Mexico City and Los Angeles showing crowds chanting Seunghan's name and that “RIIZE is seven.”

Earlier this month, SM Entertainment's management team in charge of RIIZE, known as Wizard Production, announced on October 10 that Seunghan would be returning to “gradually participate in some of the group's planned activities for November and greet the fans once again.” This decision was reversed about 48 hours later when another announcement was dropped, with directors Kim Hyeong Guk and Lee Sang Min stating that “we realized that our decision had really hurt fans more and caused them more confusion.” Indeed, in the hours after the initial announcement of Seunghan's comeback, some RIIZE fans protested by surrounding SM Entertainment's local headquarters in Seoul with funeral wreaths—an increasingly common but disturbing move by emotional K-pop listeners who aim to show that her decisions leave them dead. fans. Phrases like “RIIZE Is 6” and “Seunghan Out” were emblazoned on the expensive hoops (which cost between $70 and $170) that other local fans worked together to destroy and remove from the premises.

Member Wonbin had even posted a letter to fans on RIIZE's Weverse account in what seemed like an attempt to comfort potentially upset fans and reiterate that it was a decision made by the entire group. When Seunghan's official retirement was announced, this letter was deleted without explanation.

But the issue of RIIZE is more complicated than playing by local rules.

Korea's pop culture scene, and K-pop in particular, tends to take a more conservative approach with an emphasis on idol-like behavior that is vital to securing lucrative brand deals and media exposure in Korea. Like any label, SM has a history of dealing with scandals – notably siding with NCT's Taeyong through an online cheating controversy before his official debut and allowing him to immediate response to the situation — Seunghan's situation seems to be drawing a harder line, suggesting, now, that even leaking personal moments before debut could be grounds for suspension.

Whether or not this comes from SM's new owners at Kakao, the confusion and subsequent fan fury — resulting in more than 307,000 signatures on a Change.org petition — arguably comes from the specific configuration and marketing that came with the creation of RIIZE.

Had SM followed her previous books by seniors like Girls generation, NCT 127 and aespaRIIZE would likely make a successful debut in Korea, appearing on various TV shows and media in the country to promote an initial single and eventually expand their reach through overseas promotions and a deal with an American label or distribution. In fact, the only SM project to launch simultaneously with a stateside label partner was their seven-member supergroup SuperMwhich sent the debut EP to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 as a full-length Capitol Records collaboration, but failed to top the charts or score a single in Korea.

Instead, RIIZE's worldview was intended to extend beyond South Korea before “Guitar,” with the management choices behind it rightfully expected to keep such expectations in mind.

While Seunghan's fate seems sealed due to the permanent nature of RIIZE's latest statement, the challenge now lies with the remaining six members to navigate similar controversies. If a member is caught smoking, will they be suspended? Even with nearly a third of South Korean men identifying as smokers? And will RIIZE members never be allowed to date without being removed from the group? Didn't Anton being the son of a beloved Korean singer and actress help the group gain local attention? With an industry standard of seven years on their contracts – with many acts, particularly those under SM, lasting longer – one has to wonder what kind of protection and security will be needed for RIIZE to ensure there are no nasty leaks or slippages as the group moves spend their second year together. Nearly half of South Korean teenagers experience severe stress, as do more than a quarter of adults, a figure expected to be considerably higher given the known pressures of the K-pop industry. Will RIIZE really be able to live as its authentic self?

Earlier this week, the six members of RIIZE were announced as participating in November's Rolling Loud Thailand, the local version of the hip-hop festival that had an official cannabis partner last year. (Cannabis that has less than 0.2 percent THC is legal in Thailand. Non-medical use of cannabis is illegal in South Korea and was only recently approved for medical import in 2019) The image of a conservative boy band playing at the festival became some call the decision “hypocritical” and “ironic”.