As the official debut of the rookie boy group 'RIIZE' approaches, member Seunghan and their agency, SM Entertainment, have addressed a controversy surrounding Seunghan's personal life, leading to a heated debate among fans.
Previously, personal photos of Seunghan were leaked on an online community. The released photos, which showed Seunghan in intimate moments with a woman, quickly sparked controversy.
Amidst the ongoing debate, Seunghan issued an apology on the 30th through the group's official channel. He expressed remorse, stating, "At such a crucial time right before our debut, I've caused harm to the team and disappointed our members and company staff due to my personal matters."
He continued, "Without blaming anyone or making excuses, I acknowledge that this entire situation arose from my carelessness."
Seunghan sincerely apologized to the fans supporting RIIZE, pledging, "I will prioritize the team 'RIIZE' above all else. Not just on the stage as RIIZE, but in every situation I face, I will act with more caution."
SM Entertainment also commented on the day, "Seunghan deeply regrets disappointing fans and causing harm to the team, especially with their debut imminent."
The agency further warned against the unauthorized distribution of the photos, stating, "Illegally leaking and distributing these photos is a clear violation of the law. We are collecting data on those who have posted these photos online through our monitoring team and Cyber Investigation 119. We are also extensively gathering information on secondary offenses, such as reposting, distributing, and reproducing these images," hinting at potential legal action.
With both Seunghan and SM Entertainment clarifying their positions, public reactions have been mixed. Some comments include, "If he cares about the team, he should leave," "He was reckless even before his debut," and "An apology even before debut is unprecedented." On the other hand, some defend Seunghan, arguing, "He's the victim of the photo leak," and "The person who spread the photos is at fault," leading to a divided public opinion.
Meanwhile, Seunghan's group 'RIIZE' consists of members Seongchan, Wonbin, Anton, Sohee, Shotaro, and Eunseok, forming a new 7-member boy group. As SM Entertainment's first boy group since NCT, they've been gathering attention even before their official debut.
RIIZE pre-released their prologue single 'Memories' on the 21st of last month. They are set to make their official debut in the music industry with the release of their first single album 'Get A Guitar' on September 4th.
