Fans were elated when Seunghan announced that he would be coming back to RIIZE following his indefinite hiatus. However, it did not last long as the K-pop star announced that he would be leaving the group permanently.

Photo: Seunghan

Despite the short time he has spent with fans as the group’s vocalist and dancer, Seunghan made an unforgettable impression on his fanbase. Here is the complete timeline covering Seunghan’s K-pop idol debut until his departure.

August 30, 2023 – Seunghan’s first public apology

Before the group’s highly-anticipated debut, Seunghan issued a public apology across the group’s social media pages for his past actions as his private pre-debut photos circulated online. These included photographs of smoking and kissing and leaked videos of his live broadcasts.

“At a critical time ahead of our debut, I have caused damage to our group due to my personal matters and I have also disappointed both the company staff and our members,” he wrote, according to a translation from Soompi.

Meanwhile, SM Entertainment vowed that legal action will be taken against the individual who leaked these private photographs: “Unauthorized leakage and distribution of such media is clearly illegal and we are collecting data on the individuals who posted the pictures through Kwangya119 and other data monitoring. We will also collect data on secondary transmission of the pictures such as reposting, redistributing, and further spread.”

September 4, 2023 – Group debut

The agency has finally introduced Riize as its first boy group in seven years! With seven members, the group officially entered the K-pop scene with their hit debut single “Get a Guitar.”

Photo: RIIZE

RIIZE is a K-pop boy group comprised of seven members: Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee, and Anton.

October 27, 2023 – Talk Saxy

Still with seven members, the South Korean boy group released its digital single “Talk Saxy,” following the success of their solo debut.

November 22, 2023 – Seunghan begins indefinite hiatus

The agency officially announced that Seunghan would be taking an indefinite hiatus from his activities.

The statement also cited that the K-pop idol was feeling “mental pressure and responsibility,” which prompted him to halt his activities. Following this statement, RIIZE began promoting as a six-member group instead of seven.

“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,” it read.

The statement did not specifically address whether or not Seunghan would rejoin the rookie boy group.

December 2023 to October 2024 – RIIZE continues group activities with six members

Moving forward as six members, RIIZE released a string of new releases, including their first extended play “Riizing.”

Photo: RIIZE

Excluding Seunghan, the K-pop boy group also held its first-ever fan concert in the Philippines last July at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

October 11, 2024 – Seunghan to return to RIIZE after indefinite hiatus

After almost a year-long hiatus, Seunghan and his agency both confirmed that he will be participating in RIIZE’s scheduled activities in November.

SM Entertainment wrote that the Korean idol acknowledged his past behavior, adding that it took them time to consider his official return to the group: “Because there was no announcement regarding Seunghan’s activities, the fans went beyond curiosity to become worried and concerned, and we empathize with those feelings. But as we continued to debate the matter from various angles, [our decision took some time], and we sincerely apologize for the fact that we are only now telling you our decision about the direction of RIIZE’s future activities.”

In a handwritten letter posted on Weverse, the former Riize vocalist apologized to both his group and fans who were hurt by his “immature actions.”

“I will strive to be a good member who takes responsibility and does not tarnish the achievements the members have built up. I want to become a necessary presence to the team RIIZE,” he shared.

October 13, 2024 – Seunghan’s permanent departure from Riize

Just two days after announcing that Seunghan would be returning from his indefinite hiatus, SM Entertainment announced that he is permanently leaving the group. Originally as seven members, RIIZE will be proceeding as six once again.

In the public statement, it cited that the idol “expressed his desire to leave the group for the sake of the members and the fans.”

“We made this decision after debating it for a long time because we thought that if Seunghan returned after reflecting on his past wrongdoings and RIIZE showed another level of growth as a group, we would be able to give the artist and the fans greater joy,” the statement read. “However, [after] the announcement of his return, we ruminated carefully on each and every one of the opinions and responses sent in by fans, and we realized that our decision had actually hurt fans more and caused them greater confusion instead.”

The former RIIZE member also penned a handwritten letter addressing his departure from the group.

“I don’t want to cause any more hurt or confusion for the fans, and I don’t want to harm the members any further, and I also don’t want to hurt the company any further,” he wrote, thanking the agency and his members for giving him another opportunity to rejoin the group.

“I will sincerely cheer on RIIZE, whom I love while hoping that they will receive more love in the future,” he concluded.

ALSO READ: RIIZE’s Sunghan Rejoins Group After Hiatus

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