Seunghan Returns to RIIZE After 10-Month Hiatus: Mixed Reactions from Fans
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| Seunghan Returns to RIIZE After 10-Month Hiatus: Mixed Reactions from Fans |
On October 11 KST, SM Entertainment officially confirmed the return of Seunghan to RIIZE, sparking a wave of discussions across the K-pop community. This announcement comes after Seunghan's extended hiatus of nearly 10 months, which began in November last year following controversies surrounding his personal life. With a carefully worded statement, SM Entertainment aimed to reintroduce Seunghan while expressing regret for the delay in addressing the situation. However, reactions from fans and netizens varied dramatically, with some embracing his return and others expressing deep disappointment.
SM Entertainment’s Announcement: Seunghan’s Return to RIIZE
SM Entertainment issued a formal statement through Wizard Production, the agency responsible for RIIZE’s activities. In the statement, they outlined the rationale behind Seunghan's return to the group and shared their perspective on the importance of RIIZE's future as a seven-member team.
The official statement reads as follows:
"To BRIIZE, who love RIIZE,
Hello, this is Wizard Production, in charge of producing RIIZE.
We would like to cautiously notify you regarding Seunghan's return to activities as well as RIIZE's future direction.
As many of you know, it has been approximately 10 months since Seunghan halted his activities after becoming involved in a controversy over his private actions during his pre-debut days.
Seunghan admitted to his past mistakes and has been reflecting on his actions for almost a year now, feeling apologetic toward his members and fans. Because we also recognized that Seunghan's past actions were not appropriate for a public figure, it took some time to consider the right moment for his return.
Although we empathized with those whose curiosity over Seunghan's future plans soon turned into worry and concern as time passed, it was inevitable that we consider this matter from various aspects. Therefore, we would like to take this moment to apologize for the late decision regarding RIIZE's future direction.
Because we felt that RIIZE's next chapter, which has been planned with the utmost care since before the team's debut, would be more meaningful if carried out as 7 members, it has been decided through multiple discussions with the staff and the members that Seunghan will resume his activities as a member of the team. Upon his return to the team, Seunghan will take some time to prepare before joining select schedules beginning in November.
During his break, Seunghan continued to hone his skills and has much to show, so we ask that you please show him your warm and welcoming gazes.
Once again, we would like to apologize to the fans who experienced confusion and difficulties while watching over RIIZE's growth. However, because RIIZE is a team that grows and moves forward together as a team, the members are hard at work even at this very moment for the good of the team. Therefore, we ask that you trust in our decision to showcase RIIZE as a 7-member team.
We believe that many are curious to know what's next for RIIZE, how much more they will grow, what they dream of, and how they will fulfill those dreams. Because while we work most closely with RIIZE, we also are fans of RIIZE and are looking forward to their next chapter just as much as you are.
Moving forward, we will continue to dream with RIIZE and ensure that they can repay you with good music and performances. We ask that you remain by the members' sides at every moment of growth and achievement."
The Controversy Behind Seunghan's Hiatus
Seunghan’s sudden hiatus in November last year was precipitated by several incidents related to his personal life. Photos surfaced showing him with an alleged girlfriend during his trainee days, including images of the pair at a hotel, which caused a significant stir in the K-pop community. Additionally, other photos captured Seunghan smoking in public areas, which some viewed as irresponsible and inappropriate, especially for a trainee on the verge of debuting in a high-profile group.
While these actions might not seem overly scandalous to some, K-pop idols often face strict scrutiny over their behavior, both in public and in their private lives. This is especially true for idols who are still in their early stages of fame, where any negative publicity can have a lasting impact on their careers.
Following the emergence of these controversies, Seunghan announced an indefinite hiatus, stepping away from all promotional activities with RIIZE. During this period, RIIZE continued to promote as a six-member group, experiencing notable success with their remaining lineup: Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Sohee, and Anton.
SM’s Decision and Seunghan’s Apology
The announcement of Seunghan’s return was met with mixed emotions. While SM Entertainment emphasized that the decision was reached after careful consideration and discussions with the other members, the public’s reception remained divided. According to the company, Seunghan expressed deep remorse over his past actions and spent the last 10 months reflecting on his mistakes.
In his personal statement, Seunghan directly addressed fans and members, acknowledging his errors and expressing his determination to make amends.
"Hello, this is Seunghan.
First and foremost, I want to offer my sincerest apologies to the members and fans.
When those pre-debut photos were publicized, I felt immense disappointment and regret toward my past actions.
I can't imagine how much worse it was for the members and fans.
I'm sure that you were angry, shocked, and disappointed.
I'm so sorry to all those who cheered us on during our beginning, one of the most important moments of a career, and to those who were hurt by my irresponsible actions. I also felt apologetic toward my members and abruptly decided to halt my activities, and to those who had to endure and overcome those sudden changes, I would like to apologize as well.
While feeling apologetic over the situation, I have to admit that I felt some despair over the fact that I could not be with the members.
Because I disappointed so many people, I wondered, can I stand on stage again? Can I continue to make music? I began thinking realistically.
But during that time, the members extended their hands toward me. It must have been a difficult decision, but they still gave me a chance, and for that I'm grateful and sorry.
I know that to meet the expectations of the members who took my hand once again, the fans who are concerned that all the achievements RIIZE has built up until now will be reduced to nothing because of me, and of the company staff who reached a difficult decision, I need to show much more. I very much feel the weight of that burden and the fear that comes with it. But because there are those who believed in me, I think that it is up to me to do better.
I will do my very best to shoulder the responsibility and be a good member of RIIZE, so that the achievements that the members have gained until now will not go to waste. I hope to become someone who is necessary to the team that is RIIZE.
Once again, I offer my apologies to the members, the company staff, and the fans.
From now on, I will promote with greater responsibility."
The Public’s Reaction: Divided Opinions
As with any controversial return to the spotlight, the reactions to Seunghan's comeback were far from unanimous. While some fans were supportive and excited about the prospect of seeing RIIZE as a complete seven-member group, many others expressed disappointment and frustration, feeling that Seunghan’s return was unnecessary and even detrimental to the group's image.
Negative Reactions:
1. "Wow. Okay, I'm outta here."
2. "Just get TF out already."
3. "The company is RIIZE's biggest anti."
4. "Stop using the other members as a shield."
5. "The members also made a poor decision. Their earnings will now have to be split one out of seven."
6. "SM just decided to toss RIIZE to the dogs."
7. "The group was perfect as 6-members TT."
8. "I'm disappointed in the members. They chose friendship over the fans."
9. "RIIZE became so big with 6-members in the time that he was gone. This is a dumb move."
10. "F*** it, I'm done."
11. "They kept quiet about it all this time so I had a feeling... now SM can watch 500,000 fans leaving the fandom."
12. "There's no such thing as a troublemaker who causes trouble only once."
These comments reflect the feelings of those who believe that Seunghan’s return tarnishes the group’s reputation, especially after they had managed to build momentum as a six-member act.
Positive Reactions:
On the other hand, many fans voiced their excitement and support for Seunghan’s return, expressing their belief that everyone deserves a second chance and that his presence would make the group stronger.
1. "I'm so happy to see Seunghan back! RIIZE is complete again!"
2. "Everyone makes mistakes. I'm proud of him for reflecting and coming back stronger."
3. "RIIZE is a family. The members stood by Seunghan, and that's all that matters."
4. "I trust SM's decision and look forward to seeing the 7-member RIIZE in action."
5. "It's not fair to punish him forever. He's worked hard during his hiatus, and I'm ready to support him!"
6. "Seunghan deserves a second chance, and I believe in his growth."
7. "RIIZE is back with 7 members. This is the best news ever!"
8. "As a fan, I trust that Seunghan"
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