I remember the day Seunghan was announced to be returning to Riize—honestly, it might’ve been one of the happiest days I’ve had in a long time. Since then, I haven't felt that same level of joy. While I may not have been a fan from the very start, or witnessed the entire situation unfold, I still remember hearing about what happened and it left me disgusted. What went down was absolutely vile, and I still can’t believe SM Entertainment let it happen. Even more frustrating, they allowed everyone to get their hopes up when Seunghan’s return was announced, only to side with a small group of the fandom and undo it all.
As a Briize, I’m now having to miss out on content from my favorite group because of a decision that never should’ve been made in the first place. It’s infuriating, and it’s heartbreaking for Seunghan, who had to endure all of that—practically on his own. SM just stood by and let it happen. They let hateful messages and funeral wreaths go unchecked, as if none of it mattered. Those responsible for that kind of behavior should be held accountable, legally even. No one should be allowed to get away with such cruelty.
And to be clear, Seunghan should never have to debut as a solo artist. He was meant to be with Riize, but he was essentially punished because of a pre-debut relationship. Let’s be real—every idol, unless they’re still 14 years old, has likely had a relationship before debut, whether it's a girlfriend or a boyfriend. The only reason people are so upset about it is because there’s actual proof in the form of pictures. It’s ridiculous that just because he had a girlfriend, he was made to suffer. He was just a normal teenage boy who didn’t deserve any of this.
What SM Entertainment is doing now, trying to fix things by debuting him as a solo artist, is not enough. Seunghan still hasn’t gotten the justice he deserves. I won’t stop boycotting because what happened to him was wrong, and he deserves to be with Riize. He should’ve never been put in this position in the first place.
I know I’m a bit late in speaking up, but I needed some time to really process my thoughts and feelings before posting. IDOLS ARE PEOPLE TOO. They are not just tools for your entertainment. If the idea of an idol being in a relationship truly upsets you, I think it’s time to take a long, hard look at yourself and your values. If that’s how you feel, maybe you should stay single forever, too. You don’t own these idols, and they’re not here to cater to your every whim. It’s exhausting to see so many people forget that they have feelings, too.
Lastly, I’ll say this: PLEASE BOYCOTT RIIZE.
SEUNGHAN DESERVES JUSTICE.