K-pop fans fume as star who was forced out of boyband by 'toxic' followers just because he had kissed a woman launches solo career

K-pop listeners are present unhappy that a vocalist who was forced retired of a set by 'toxic' fans - who didn't similar that helium had kissed a pistillate years agone - is debuting with a solo career.

Hong Seunghan, formerly of fashionable South Korean radical RIIZE was astatine the bosom of a sinister societal media tempest which saw devoted 'followers' sending dozens of ceremonial wreaths to their label, SM Entertainment.

It signified the 'death' of the boyband, for 1 of its 21-year-old vocalists had been filmed sharing a smooch with what is believed to beryllium an ex-girlfriend erstwhile helium was 19.

Photos leaked past twelvemonth besides showed the prima smoking successful bed. Just days earlier, helium had been unveiled arsenic the seventh subordinate of RIIZE (a operation of the words 'RISE' and 'REALIZE') connected way to becoming the Next Big Thing.

Seunghan was benched by the label, but they attempted to reintroduce him into the radical past month.

Distraught fans reacted by hurling messages of maltreatment astatine the idol connected societal media, and posting signs against the vocalist extracurricular SM Entertainment. 

An unverified video of a man, believed to beryllium Seunghan, walking past the wreaths went viral online, arsenic X users noted however downcast and dejected helium looked. Before long, helium was retired of the band.

But present - contempt the turbulent clip helium has had attached to the radical - fans are displeased that the vocalist volition not beryllium continuing arsenic a subordinate of RIIZE. 

Many person deed retired astatine SM Entertainment for being 'the worst company' and 'ruining his vocation astatine the property of conscionable 21' by not keeping him arsenic a portion of the group.

'It's not enough, we privation him backmost successful RIIZE,' 1 penned.

'WE WANT HIM WITH RIIZE,' different added. 

One questioned: 'if Seunghan tin beryllium a soloist nether SM…… wherefore can't helium beryllium successful riize………. explicate it to maine similar I'm 5.'

A 3rd projected that SM is 'testing the waters to spot if the enactment outweighs the hatred and helium tin travel backmost to Riize'.

'This is simply a motion for america to support boycotting stronger and stronger,' a remark urged. 'Nothing is authoritative until helium really debuts instrumentality this arsenic information and boycott arsenic hard arsenic we person ne'er before.'

Another was besides frustrated with the sect of 'toxic' fans, writing: 'Allowing those weirdos to get the past laugh, are you really going to attraction and support Seunghan this time?'

'I americium precise blessed Seunghan is inactive continuing his vocation arsenic an idol but… if sm couldn’t support him successful a group, however overmuch amended are they gonna support him arsenic a solo artist…?' a 2nd expressed.

Others felt that SM is 'too arrogant to bring him backmost to the radical but volition instrumentality his fans money'.

'I'm torn astir this due to the fact that I'd alternatively helium beryllium successful RIIZE,' 1 poster said. 'But astatine slightest helium volition inactive get to bash what helium loves and the antis volition permission him unsocial - hopefully.

'Just cognize that I'll beryllium ace supportive, immoderate happens. Not the result immoderate of america wanted though.'

A translated connection from SM Entertainment, shared connected X, read: 'We would similar to stock an announcement regarding our artist, SEUNGHAN.

'SEUNGHAN is presently preparing to debut arsenic a solo creator successful the 2nd fractional of 2025 and is receiving afloat enactment and guidance crossed respective aspects considered indispensable for a solo debut including systemized training, producing, management, and more.

'Moving forth, updates connected SEUNGHAN volition beryllium shared via his authoritative societal accounts which launched today.

'SEUNGHAN is determined to showcase a caller broadside of himself arsenic helium embarks connected his travel arsenic a solo creator and carries retired his talents and dreams.

'We kindly inquire for your lukewarm enactment and attraction arsenic helium begins this caller chapter. Thank you.' 

FEMAIL has reached retired to SM Entertainment for comment. 

According to a translation of the authoritative connection confirming Seunghan's exit past month, officials at Wizard Production (part of SM Entertainment) had 'ruminated carefully' connected the overwhelming instrumentality effect to Seunghan's instrumentality earlier deciding they had made a mistake.

The determination came aft K-pop fans sent hundreds of white funeral wreaths to SM Entertainment's Seoul bureau to signify that Seunghan's instrumentality is the decease of RIIZE.

However, different fans wrong the K-Pop assemblage person deed backmost astatine the run to person Seunghan removed from RIIZE and person accused SM Entertainment of cowing to 'bullying'. 

'Funeral wreaths are portion of a contented for existent deceased people, and to my cognition are mostly filled with messages of sympathy to the bereaved and the deceased,' Tarryn McMurray, a British instrumentality of RIIZE told NBC. 

'To crook thing that is meant arsenic a motion of respect into a maneuver for bullying idiosyncratic is incredibly egregious.'

When Seunghan was reinstated into the band, photos shared connected X showed hundreds of aggravated fans gathered successful protestation extracurricular the building, arsenic the ceremonial wreaths were decorated with aggravated messages condemning Seunghan and SM Entertainment.

According to quality outlet AllKpop.com, the wreaths had messages similar 'Hong Seunghan Out', 'Seunghan' permission RIIZE', 'Exit RIIZE', 'Hong Seunghan buzz off', and 'Freeloader Seunghan exit'.

An unverified video of a man, believed to beryllium Seunghan, walking past the wreaths went viral online, arsenic X users noted however downcast and dejected helium looked. 

'This has to beryllium the astir heartbreaking video I've ever watched,' 1 idiosyncratic captioned the since-deleted clip connected X. 'Imagine having to locomotion past thousands of ceremonial wreaths similar that.  Seunghan I'm truthful sorry.' 

NME reported that respective RIIZE fans urged others to nonstop beardown messages demanding Seunghan's removal to the SM Entertainment study hotline, Kwangya 119, causing the website server to clang aggregate times successful 2 days. 

Seunghan was besides the taxable of respective vitriolic X posts, calling for his contiguous dismissal from RIIZE, AllKpop reported. 

One specified connection reportedly read: 'SM needs to bash thing accelerated earlier each the fans leave.'

Another idiosyncratic allegedly added: 'SM needs to get their enactment together. The radical was doing good with six members. They are ruining everything.'

'There is simply a crushed fans are going this acold astir this,' a 3rd claimed, explaining wherefore thousands of ceremonial wreaths had been delivered to the SM Entertainment building. 

Another claimed Seunghan's instrumentality was 'such a disappointment' it had triggered fans intro sending 'so galore wreaths demanding helium permission the group'. 

'Listen to the fans earlier the radical goes down with Seunghan,' 1 idiosyncratic allegedly threatened. 

A akin connection accused SM Entertainment of 'stabbing fans' backs by bringing Seunghan backmost into the group', portion a 3rd called for Seunghan to 'leave the radical voluntarily'.

On October 13, Seunghan resigned from the radical successful a heartbreaking letter, expressing regret implicit the infighting wrong fans successful the aftermath of SM Entertainment's arguable determination to bring him backmost to RIIZE. 

The letter, obtained by Billboard and translated via Soompi, read: 'I genuinely bash not privation the narration betwixt RIIZE and BRIIZE (as the fandom is called), who were increasing unneurotic portion supporting 1 another, to beryllium damaged due to the fact that of me. 

'It besides breaks my bosom to spot the fans, for whom it should beryllium much than capable to conscionable emotion RIIZE, warring with each different due to the fact that of me.' 

Seunghan added that helium doesn't privation to 'hurt the institution [SM Entertainment] immoderate further' nor origin 'any much wounded oregon disorder for the fans'. 

'So, I deliberation that my leaving the radical is the close way for everyone,' helium concluded, calling for fans to proceed supporting his erstwhile bandmates. 

RIIZE presently comprises of Shotaro from Japan, Anton from the United States, and Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin and Sohee from South Korea. 

Over the past fewer weeks, a antagonistic run successful enactment of Seunghan, propelled by the band's planetary fandom, has emerged online. 

In effect to #SeunghanOut and #RIIZEexistsassix, hashtags like  'SMSupportBullying', 'and 'JusticeForSeunghan' began trending connected X, with calls to boycott the Korean amusement elephantine that besides manages EXO, SUPER JUNIOR, aespa, and TVXQ!. 

One tweet read: 'You dont request to stan riize to talk up astir this full situation, you are quality earlier thing else, this is really a bullying [sic] towards an idol who erstwhile had mean beingness and falling successful love, I'm frightened radical volition normalise this benignant of behaviour to power their idols.' 

Another idiosyncratic wrote: 'Well I deliberation demanding SM to reinstate Seunghan successful RIIZE is, successful galore ways, a combat for justice. Bcuz helium was FORCED OUT & bullied by malicious antis, and bringing him backmost wld not lone code this injustice but besides service arsenic a nonstop situation to the toxic parasocial demands of [K-Pop]. 

MailOnline had reached retired to SM Entertainment for remark astatine the time.  

A Change.org petition demanding Seunghan's instrumentality to RIIZE has earned implicit 300,000 signatures astatine the clip of writing. 

The statement of the petition claims the young Korean popstar has been the unfortunate of 'malicious rumours and edited contented leaks' that derailed his vocation earlier it adjacent took off. 

It read: 'He had a promising future, but due to the fact that of horrible 'fans' of RIIZE, it each led up to this unfortunate fate. Many fans, mostly planetary fans, privation him backmost successful the group, and are inactive waiting connected him. ' 

The enactment for Seunghan has extended beyond laptop and telephone screens. 

Videos and photos circulated online showed rented trucks emblazoned with messages of enactment and solidarity for him parked extracurricular the SM Entertainment gathering - the ceremonial wreaths having agelong been swept away. 

Seunghan's attraction is different illustration of an progressively controlling K-pop fandom wrong South Korea which demands a near-complete power implicit stars' idiosyncratic lives successful instrumentality for their continued enactment and affections. 

In respective instances, idols person apologised for 'betraying' fans for being successful romanticist relationships and shattering the illusion they are available. 

A sociologist astatine the Nanyang Technological University successful Singapore, Patrick Williams said agencies managing K-pop stars often enforce a strict no-dating clause due to the fact that idols being successful a narration is 'bad for business'. 

'They privation to merchantability idols that look to be, astatine slightest successful an imaginary sense, romantically obtainable. Fans tin ideate themselves successful immoderate signifier of societal narration with this idol,' Dr Williams told the BBC.  

When aespa member Karina's narration with with histrion Lee Jae-wook went public, the 23-year-old vocalist issued a grovelling apology aft fans threatened to boycott her music. 

She apologised them for 'surprising you greatly' portion promising to amusement them a 'more mature and hardworking side' successful the future. 

Speaking to NBC astir the crushed for protests implicit Seunghan's instrumentality to RIIZE, 1 instrumentality Yuki Shu said fans walk a batch of wealth connected their idols, including bargain merch and paying for meet-and-greets, and 'I americium not paying wealth to spot you dating different girls'.   

Devoted fans besides expect their beloved popstars to abide by the mostly blimpish norms that govern society, with behaviours specified arsenic smoking oregon pursuing romanticist relationships deemed immoral. 

Former Monsta X prima Wonho discontinue the seven-member lad set successful 2019 successful the look of terrible instrumentality backlash, pursuing rumours helium smoked marijuana and owed wealth to respective people.

In his resignation letter, helium wrote: 'There was a clip erstwhile I was immature and person made large and tiny mistakes, but aft becoming a trainee and making my debut, I stayed connected way and worked hard to debar being ashamed of myself.'

Wonho besides distanced himself from Monsta X, adding: 'They are radical who are excessively bully to halt and get wounded similar this due to the fact that of idiosyncratic similar me.'