On the 11th, a truck protest urging Seunghan’s departure was announced in front of SM Entertainment, the agency of RIIZE, alongside a display of condolence wreaths at the company headquarters.
Live fans are vocally demanding Seunghan’s exit in light of his anticipated return. The condolence wreaths contain messages such as “Hong Seunghwan Out,” “Who Are You, Hong Seunghan,” “Seunghan, Leave,” and “RIIZE Is 6.”
Conversely, there are also truck protests supporting Seunghan’s return planned, which has drawn attention.
Before his debut, Seunghan became embroiled in controversy after private photos were leaked and circulated online. Following the promotion of his debut song “Get A Guitar,” he expressed, “I am truly sorry to the fans who supported me and the Rise members. I feel I have caused too much damage at a time when I need to work harder and improve myself,” leading to an indefinite suspension of his activities.
About a year later, SM Entertainment officially announced that Seunghwan would join RIIZE’s schedule starting in November, and from the next chapter onward, the group would continue with seven members.
In a handwritten letter, Seunghan stated, “When the pre-debut photos were revealed, I felt disappointed and regretful about myself. I am sorry to the fans who supported me from the very beginning during this crucial time, and to those who were hurt by my immature actions, as well as to the members who should have worked hard together with me. I also want to apologize to everyone who struggled to overcome that situation when I suddenly halted my activities.”
On the other hand, international fans react differently to the situation, and has since held protests against SM’s decision to remove Seunghan.