Just because he smoked a little and had some bi***es.
K-Pop stan Twitter, or better yet, SM Ent. group stans are no strangers to the phrase “hiatus due to personal reasons,” or other phrases along those lines. Quite literally, some may even be triggered by just that phrase, and it’s a canon event for almost every fandom.
The news of a K-Pop idol’s sudden hiatus from the industry is not a new thing to the K-Pop stan community, and today was just one of those days.
On November 22, 2023, SM Entertainment announced that Seunghan, one of the members of the rookie boy group RIIZE, will be taking a step back from group activities due to the incessant rumors surrounding his personal life. SM Entertainment also noted that the member had expressed a “mental burden and responsibility” for the move.
SM Entertainment released a press statement on their official social media accounts, as well as on RIIZE’s social media pages. Below is the translated statement as adapted by Soompi:
안녕하세요. SM엔터테인먼트입니다. pic.twitter.com/Cwn4ig8o1g
— RIIZE (@RIIZE_official) November 22, 2023
“Hello, this is SM Entertainment. This is a notice regarding RIIZE member Seunghan.
Seunghan is feeling severely apologetic and is reflecting on himself for causing disappointment and commotion to not only the team and members but also to fans due to issues regarding his personal life that are being leaked and circulated recently via social media and online communities.
Seunghan feels mental pressure and responsibility regarding this, so after deep contemplation, he relayed his intention to halt activities for the team.
We also judged that it is too difficult for him to continue activities through this situation, and respecting his opinion of no longer wanting to cause harm to the team and members, we decided on the indefinite suspension of his activities.
It is an abrupt situation, but we ask for the generous understanding of fans as it is a matter that was decided through careful discussion with the artist himself, and we are feeling great responsibility for being inattentive about artist management although it was before his debut. We once again deeply apologize to fans.
However, the videos and photos that are being leaked and circulated were taken in his personal time during his trainee days before his debut, and they were reproduced several times to cause misunderstandings through deliberate secondary editing such as taking screenshots of a video of which the source can be specified.
In addition, the individuals who are leaking and circulating these videos and photos are even using malicious means of creating groundless false information and messenger conversations that do not exist, continuing acts of severe defamation toward the artist by spreading fabricated and distorted information that is different from the truth.
We began monitoring immediately after recognizing the above situation, and we specified who was behind the unauthorized leaks and circulation after collecting a significant amount of evidence. We plan on filing a legal complaint this afternoon at the local police station.
In addition, we are considering additional legal action against the specified individual not only for defaming the artist through unauthorized leaks and circulation but also for various illegal acts such as cybercrimes and threats.
For the sake of the artist and team as well as the fans who love the team, the agency will not only file legal complaints but also respond strongly without any settlement or leniency to all forms of secondary harm such as generating as well as circulating and reproducing additional posts about thoughtless rumors regarding the artist.
We will continue to do our best for the protection of our agency’s artists. Thank you.”
Seunghan also penned a letter to his fans and was posted on RIIZE’s WeVerse page.
seunghan weverse update pic.twitter.com/xlexAyLSd3
— riize pics (@riizepics) November 22, 2023
BRIIZE, RIIZE’s fans, were saddened at the news, but nevertheless showed their support towards RIIZE and Seunghan. Others also did not fail to use the situation to criticize SM Ent. in its “efforts of protecting their artists,” when there is a glaring difference in their actions to their other artists who have been attacked in a similar way.
always with seunghan ♡ pic.twitter.com/BriPENvPW5
— ִ ࣪𖤐 (@SKIESATURN) November 23, 2023
good morning to seunghan defenders only pic.twitter.com/1Jcfwurg98
— 樂 ★ || lynn 🍰 (@seolarflame) November 22, 2023
it will never be the same without seunghan, WE MISS YOU pic.twitter.com/gOoqqEHnMa
— seunghan pics (@picseunghan) November 23, 2023
i’m gonna miss seunghan’s talk saxy talk saxy girllllllllll adlibs
— tiff (@rzsnghan) November 23, 2023
seunghan's fansites waiting for him… we're all in this together
— ✩ (@riizedotcom) November 22, 2023
we love you seunghan, pls stay strong 🫶 pic.twitter.com/geRa6dgVXw
— emr𝓨 (@skrrseeun) November 22, 2023
my main slayer hong seunghan pic.twitter.com/foFP2IbGpa
— tiff (@rzsnghan) November 23, 2023
briize #1: fuck sm fuck super junior
army#1: TAEKOOK 😭😭😭😭😭😭
dreamzen #1: HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHENLEPOO 🎂🎉
briize #2: WE WILL ALWAYS WAIT FOR U SEUNGHAN ❤️
dreamzen #2: good morning
army #2: i hope the entire world blows up tonight
kpop fan #1: and fuck lucas https://t.co/QISaYRIQ8N— afifasaurus (@jaems_ng) November 22, 2023
seunghan weverse update pic.twitter.com/xlexAyLSd3
— riize pics (@riizepics) November 22, 2023
this translation from an article makes me believe they’re trying to clear his name before he comes back. sm is most likely monitoring EVERYTHING, if they see that people have been encouraged by seunghan to post smoking (even w33d) videos we are joever https://t.co/u5wPMcE6wa pic.twitter.com/eJoUkienZ7
— RIIZE IS 7🫧 (@eunseokrealwife) November 23, 2023
“seunghan ah congratulations on your debut”
take me back. pic.twitter.com/E66qd1BLkq— tiff (@rzsnghan) November 22, 2023
ngl if i was seunghan my apology would say sumn like sorry you're bitchless and I'm not stay mad
— 태용‘s christa MET WAYV AND CRAXY (@yongiepng) November 22, 2023
you've worked really, really hard our seunghan. we will wait for you ( ◜‿◝ )♡ pic.twitter.com/FUF3nwPGjZ
— seunghan pics (@picseunghan) November 22, 2023
fuck the kpop fans who are making fun of seunghan's situation right now? he is literally a victim of privacy invasion and instead of being a normal human being against this, you make this whole thing about stan culture. if you have nothing good to say, just stfu
— َ (@soheelogy) November 22, 2023
i’m really sad seunghan won’t be there for year end shows considering they’re the front runner for roty it’s such an important moment for the group and i’m sad be won’t be there to experience it
— erene the riize promoter (@aestaro) November 22, 2023
you have an entire israel sympathiser trump supporter anti trans loser in super junior but you're kicking seunghan out for *checks notes* smoking a cigarette and having bitches. okay sm https://t.co/zVt0cmUXkg
— fi (@zankyorefs) November 22, 2023
Some of the accounts that have released rumors of Seunghan had already apologized following SM Entertainment’s steps to legal actions. However, fans are still angry and want them to face the consequences of their actions.
they posted an apology in english too. seunghan, its ok not to forgive. proceed with suing!!! pic.twitter.com/ONA4AtXdur
— tiff (@rzsnghan) November 22, 2023
i hope SM keep their word and show no leniency.
don't let these nasty defamers and cyberbullies get away with just an apology.
make an example of them or more will pop up.— what (@keresleigh) November 22, 2023
sm protected lucas at the expense of his whole group for over a year on sa allegations but removes seunghan for acting his age https://t.co/h0MzsvcAlC
— stephanie olive’s fan (@paintmeonce) November 22, 2023
if seunghan was leaving for real sm would've worded it with "we wish him well on future individual activities and endeavours independent from our company" right??????
— ✩ (@riizedotcom) November 22, 2023
now why just bc some bitches are mad bc seunghan is not bitchless and smokes hes put on hiatus?? FUCKASS SM pic.twitter.com/a5YA1Hzu2z
— merry ari (@drgobyun) November 22, 2023
all he was “exposed” for was being a normal teen who had romantic relationships and smoked on occasion. while a guy with SA allegations took way too long to be removed him from his group and is still working under sm. seunghan you do not deserve any of this. https://t.co/vMcATghZ8S
— 🦋 slow dms | midterms! (@99zkart) November 22, 2023
sm has literally done nothing to protect seunghan this is the 3rd time this happened and still no lawsuit like pls be serious
— erene the riize promoter (@aestaro) November 16, 2023
sm picks and chooses. he is a teenager, he did NOTHING wrong, yet you’re acting like he’s at fault here. protecting artists my ass. seunghan deserves sm better, and i hope he knows so many fans + people are on his side supporting and loving him. seunghan, we’ll wait for you!
— for hendery (@HENGC0RE) November 22, 2023
On November 23, 2023, South Korean media outlet Top Star News reported that a truck cheering for RIIZE’s Seunghan was seen in front of the SM Entertainment building. The truck had messages reading, “BRIIZE will be by Seunghan’s side until the end” and “Our 7 RIIZE stars, let’s walk the flower path together.”
a positive article finally🥹 "on the 23rd, a post was uploaded on online community about a cheering truck on riize seunghan in front of sm building.. with the texts "briize will be on seunghan's side till the end", "our seven stars RIIZE, let’s walk on the flower path together" https://t.co/lNy1ClEPnN pic.twitter.com/Ev6QDu4wsP
— 넷 (@riize_net) November 23, 2023
NEWS : Times of India 🇮🇳
RIIZE's Seunghan receives overwhelming support from global fans amid hiatus .
In a heartfelt display of solidarity, international fans of RIIZE are rallying behind the group's member Seunghan .
🔗 : https://t.co/RGo29hDIH0 pic.twitter.com/li5guewQYY
— 승한 리제✷ Sakshi (@SEUNGHANTL) November 23, 2023
WE STAND WITH SEUNGHAN!
our truck for today arrived at SM this morning! pic.twitter.com/JUDMbPZLQA
— riize folder (@riizefolder) November 23, 2023
seunghan is sooooooo loved. this makes me emotional this fandom really has his back. tysm briize 🙇♀️ i hope he sees this somehow https://t.co/iCe1f00d5w
— tiff (@rzsnghan) November 23, 2023
We stand by you, Seunghan! BRIIZE will always be waiting for you!
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