RIIZE's instagram
In a meteoric debut that has captured the hearts of K-pop enthusiasts worldwide, Riize, the latest boy band from SM Entertainment, emerged as a promising force to reckon with. As they met with the local press for the first time, their nervous yet eager voices echoed their humble yet ambitious goals.
Amidst the wave of new K-pop groups making their debut, Riize distinguished itself this summer through a captivating online presence that attracted fans both in Korea and beyond even before their official debut, thanks to their single "Get A Guitar."
"We know that we have to do well number-wise, but all we really hope for at this stage is that people relate to our music, since this is our beginning as Riize," expressed member Sungchan during the debut showcase held at the Blue Square music venue in central Seoul.
Riize marks SM Entertainment's first new act since the debut of the girl group aespa in 2020 and the newest boy band introduction since NCT's inception in 2016. Comprising seven members—Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee, and Anton—Riize boasts a blend of fresh talents, with Shotaro and Sungchan already having made their debut in 2020 as part of the boy band NCT.
The name "Riize" itself is a fusion of "rise" and "realize," encapsulating their aspiration to make dreams come true as a unified team. "Like our name, we want to grow and realize our dreams with the members and fans," shared Wonbin.
Their debut EP "WHY.." features the title track "Get A Guitar," a retro funky dance number that Riize affectionately dubs "Emotional pop," and the R&B dance track "Memories." The music video for "Memories" swiftly amassed over 10 million views on YouTube within two weeks of its release on August 21.
"Emotional pop is a unique genre where we want to convey and express our emotions through our music," explained Eunseok. "We're so grateful for all the attention that people have given us already. We hope we can return all the meaningful feedback with our music."
Despite being in their debut phase, Riize has already generated significant attention, both positive and negative. Member Seunghan had to apologize after an old picture of him in bed with a woman went viral online, prompting SM Entertainment to issue warnings against the spread of false stories or pictures. Additionally, the decision to include members Shotaro and Sungchan, previously part of existing group NCT, raised concerns among fans.
Nonetheless, Riize amassed over 1 million pre-orders for their music package as of Sunday, positioning them as potential million-sellers upon debut. The group has inked a global promotion deal with RCA Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, and secured endorsement deals with fashion and beauty companies, among others.
"We really didn't expect that we would be given so much attention," admitted Shotaro. "It's made us feel that we should try even harder to return the love."
Riize's ambitions mirror those of any newly debuting boy band, with dreams ranging from winning the coveted Rookie of the Year award to envisioning a world tour. Anton shared, "I know that it's something far into the future, but I want to go on a world tour with the members. I also passed by the Met Life Stadium a lot when I lived in New Jersey. I hope we get to perform there one day."
To provide fans with a deeper insight into Riize's identity and aspirations, an introduction film is set to be released at 7 p.m. Riize's journey continues with the release of two new singles, one in November and another in December, culminating in the release of an album in the first quarter of the upcoming year.
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