K-Pop singer Seunghan is leaving boy group RIIZE, according to a social media post from the group's official account.
The news comes just two days after Wizard Production, the SM Entertainment production team responsible for the group, announced that the 21-year-old would be making his long-awaited return from a nearly year-long hiatus.
In a statement posted on RIIZE's official account on ” with their official RIIZE account. 11 announcement that Seunghan would return to the group. The quick turnaround appears to have come as a surprise to the group's fans, with many replies and reposts to the post coming from seemingly shocked and upset fans.
Seunghan was placed on indefinite hiatus in November 2023 after photos and videos of his personal life before the group's debut were leaked online. Leaks showed him kissing an unidentified woman in a bed and smoking a cigarette.
The October 11 statement, translated by Soompi, announcing Seunghan's return expressed optimism about the group's future, explaining that the singer was expected to return to group activities in November.
The statement reads in part: “We [Wizard Production] We poured our heart and soul into planning RIIZE even before their debut, and decided that RIIZE's next chapter would be even more meaningful if the seven members were together. Therefore, after numerous discussions with the staff and members about the direction of the group's future activities, it was decided that Seunghan will return to the group.
The Oct. 13 statement said the company thought Seunghan's return after “reflecting on his past misdeeds” would be “able to bring the artist and fans greater joy.” It continued: “However, after the announcement of his return, we carefully thought about each of the opinions and responses submitted by fans, and realized that our decision had actually hurt fans more and instead caused them more confusion.” .
“At the same time, Seunghan has consistently expressed his desire to leave the group for the sake of the members and fans. Out of respect for the artist's decision, we are announcing Seunghan's departure from RIIZE, rather than joining the group,” the statement continues.
In a handwritten letter posted on fan platform Weverse, Seunghan explained his departure from the group. “After thinking deeply about whether I thought too much only about myself, whether I am causing too much harm to the members and the company, and whether it is really right for me to be part of RIIZE, which should be loved, I only felt worried and sorry “he said in the statement, translated by Soompi.
“So I think my leaving the group is the right path for everyone. I don't want to cause any further pain or confusion to the fans, and I don't want to further harm the members, and I don't want to further harm the company,” he continued in the statement.
The singer added in the statement that he didn't want the relationship between RIIZE and his fans to be “damaged.” “It also breaks my heart to see fans, for whom it should be more than enough to simply love RIIZE, fight among themselves because of me,” she wrote.
At the time of publication, a Change.Org petition created on October 13 titled “We Want Seunghan Back! Riize is 7 years old!!!!!” posted by a user called Lauren Lim had garnered over 85,000 signatures.
RIIZE made no further statement.