Seunghan’s withdrawal from RIIZE continues to make waves on social media and spark conversations about fan culture across local and international news outlets.
On October 23, Arirang TV, South Korea’s English-language news channel, discussed the former RIIZE member’s exit a few days after his return was confirmed by SM Entertainment, and explored the topic that K-pop artists are held to higher ethical standards.
“What makes the Korean or K-pop experience, I wouldn’t say not only unique but different but also a little more toxic, is the fact that in addition to the pedestal there is a noose,” said Bernie Cho, DFSB Collective President .
He continued: “The standards are so high that fans don’t want the best version of their favorite artists, they want the perfect version. And we know that’s not possible because we’re all human.”
Cho further stated that if fans continue to apply “impossible standards” to K-pop artists, these artists will never become stars as they will have no room for mistakes to grow and learn from.
He then talked about Seunghan’s withdrawal from RIIZE due to a “compromising photo”.
According to him, international fans couldn’t even understand what the big deal was since smoking and dating are “normal young adult” activities.
Cho also talked about how SM Entertainment was terrified of fans for deciding to bring Seunghan back into the lineup, which led him to leave so as not to further damage the fandom and the company.
These certain fans, according to Cho, were what bothered him more than anything else.
“They’re not the most, they’re not the majority. They’re just the loudest, most vocal minority,” he said. “The fact that they can wield so much power and influence over the trajectory of an artist’s career is shocking.”
Cho made it clear that while some celebrities deserve to be canceled, many deserve a second chance.
“This very rigid, perfectionist fan culture needs to take a step back and breathe a little,” he said.
Seunghan took an indefinite break from the group’s activities in November 2023, just a month after RIIZE’s debut, after his pre-debut photos circulated on social media. The images showed him smoking and kissing his then-girlfriend on the lips, and this prompted BRIIZEs (fandom) to call for his exit.
Unfortunately, just days after his confirmed return on October 11, 2024, he ultimately decided to leave the group on the 14th.
Through a handwritten letter, he said, “I don’t want to cause any further pain or confusion to the fans, and I don’t want to harm the members further.”
Watch Arirang TV’s latest Press Perspective segment below!
