Korean Netizens Blast SM Entertainment For Mishandling Former RIIZE Seunghan’s Situation
SM Entertainment is facing heavy criticism from Korean netizens following its handling of former RIIZE member Seunghan‘s return and the subsequent back-and-forth regarding his eventual withdrawal.
The company — known for managing some of K-Pop’s biggest stars — is being accused of poorly managing the situation, leading to unnecessary confusion and emotional distress for both the fandom and Seunghan himself.
In a now-viral post on theqoo, netizens have pointed out where SM went wrong in handling the tricky situation. The post claims that since Seunghan’s indefinite suspension nearly a year ago, the company has been uncertain about the former RIIZE star’s future. The 10 months it took for a final decision left the group’s diehard fans and even the public confused.
Some netizens believe that SM mishandled the situation by prolonging the uncertainty. They argue that if the company had quietly dealt with Seunghan’s departure internally, it could have spared both him and the fans the emotional toll.
If the company had quietly handled his withdrawal behind the scenes, Seunghan’s past private life wouldn’t have been dug up again, and he wouldn’t have been hurt by the fandom’s backlash over his withdrawal. Because of this, within just two days, they made him write two long handwritten letters.
— OP
Netizens are particularly frustrated with SM’s lack of sensitivity and clear communication, which they feel has done more harm than good. For a company that has been in the entertainment industry for 30 years and is known for producing top-tier idols, many are baffled by how poorly the situation was managed, comparing SM’s actions to those of a rookie agency.
This is a company that was founded 30 years ago, known as the ‘idol powerhouse,’ but their management skills are worse than those of a company founded in 2024.
— OP
Many have agreed with the post itself and even left their own comments about how much Seunghan and the fans seem to have suffered due to SM’s mishandling.
- “Shouldn’t the two center leaders take responsibility and resign? They are so bad at their jobs. Do you really think they’ll do better in the future?”
- “I don’t even like Seunghan, but this is SM’s fault. What a mess, lol.”
- “The fans have really been through a lot… It’s crazy.”
- “Isn’t the center leader taking responsibility?”
- “At the very least, they shouldn’t have flip-flopped. Both the fans and the former member are hurt. What are they even doing?”
- “Honestly, I feel bad for that idol. At such a young age, does he really have to go through this kind of humiliation? I feel like the company is being too harsh lol. Even the things that are being called his ‘mistakes’ don’t seem like that big of a deal.”
- “The center leaders should apologize and just resign already.”
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