Pressured by fans, troubled singer Seunghan leaves Riize for good

Just two days after announcing the he was rejoining K-pop act Riize, Seunghan on Monday said he is leaving the group for good. The decision comes following a heated response from within the group's fan community, known as Briize, over his return.

Wizard Production, SM Entertainment’s production team in charge of Riize, released an official statement signed by directors Kim Hyeong-guk and Lee Sang-min in which they apologized for the confusion caused by the announcement of Seunghan’s return.

"We are truly sorry for not prioritizing the growth achieved by all six members of Riize and the invaluable support from Briize, which has been the greatest source of strength throughout this journey,” the directors said.

Riize, originally a seven-member boy band, has been performing as a six-member unit since Seunghan paused his activities in November last year after controversial personal photos were leaked.

The two directors further explained that they had hoped Seunghan’s return would allow the group to grow and bring greater happiness to both the artists and their fans.

However, they acknowledged that the announcement had resulted in more confusion and pain for fans, prompting Seunghan to express his wish to leave the group for the sake of both the boy band and their fans.

The directors respected Seunghan's decision and accepted his departure, pledging to support him as he pursues his talents and dreams outside the group.

On Friday, SM made an official announcement of the troubled singer's return after 10 months. That announcement was met with significant backlash from fans, leading to protests, including funeral wreaths with the message "Riize is Forever Six" sent to SM Entertainment’s headquarters in Seoul.