SM Entertainment Announces Indefinite Hiatus Following Controversies

Courtesy of SM Entertainment

Seunghan, a member of the K-pop boy band RIIZE, will temporarily cease his musical activities indefinitely due to online rumors surrounding his private life. SM Entertainment, the management company for RIIZE, made the announcement on Wednesday, citing mental burden and responsibility as the reasons for Seunghan's decision.

In a statement, SM Entertainment revealed that Seunghan expressed a desire to take time off for the sake of his team, and the management concluded that continuing group activities would be challenging under the present circumstances. RIIZE will now perform as a sextet, consisting of Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Sohee, and Anton. 

▲ Courtesy of SM EntertainmentSeunghan issued a handwritten apology on the fan platform Weverse, expressing remorse for his past actions. The 19-year-old acknowledged the hurt caused by his previous actions and pledged to reflect on himself and strive to become a better person.

The controversies surrounding Seunghan include a leaked video featuring him and Soobin, the leader of Tomorrow X Together (TXT), where he openly criticized Soobin and made disrespectful remarks about a female K-pop star. Another leaked video allegedly showed Seunghan smoking as a minor in Japan, sparking criticism from fans.

SM Entertainment expressed a strong sense of responsibility for the lack of management of their artist, acknowledging that the incidents occurred before Seunghan's debut and issuing a sincere apology. The label also announced plans to take legal action against those responsible for the leaks, citing intentional secondary editing to spread misinformation.

RIIZE, which made its debut with the album "Get A Guitar" on September 4, achieved significant success with 1 million copies sold in the first week. The group released its latest single, "Talk Saxy," on October 27.

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