Seunghan’s recent departure from RIIZE has left fans confused and heartbroken, especially since it came just 48 hours after he announced his return after a 10-month hiatus. His departure appears to stem from SM Entertainment’s response to bullying from some Korean fans, who protested his return by sending wreaths to the company due to their anger over his pre-debut lifestyle, which included having a girlfriend and smoking.
As a result, international fans are now protesting and boycotting RIIZE and SM Entertainment, demanding Seunghan’s return. K-Pop stores around the world have joined the boycott, pledging not to stock RIIZE products.
Despite the current tensions within the fandom, RIIZE continues to be active, although members seem affected by Seunghan’s removal. On October 17, they performed at BLUE HAPPY FESTIVAL 2024 in Yokohama, Japan, where fans noticed a gap in their lineups, perhaps reflecting the members’ true feelings about the situation.
At their KMStation Fansign in China, international fans expressed concern for the members’ well-being but hoped they would be open about their feelings. During the fansign, the members didn’t seem to be in a good mood.
Some members appeared to “subtly protest” through hand gestures. For example, Sungchan showed an upside-down “7” while Anton showed 7 fingers, which fans interpreted as a statement that RIIZE is a seven-member group, not six.
However, some fans have speculated about Anton’s gesture, suggesting that it could also be a reference to “520” or “Wo ai ni”, a Mandarin phrase meaning “I love you”, as the number 520 sounds similar. Despite this, fans felt the gesture was more in line with an OT7 sign.
Ultimately, international fans believe that the members subtly express their stance on the situation through these gestures.
Source: Camino
