Netizens Express Confusion Over RIIZE’s “Official” Member Positions
Recently, all SM Entertainment groups joined the K-Pop social media platform, Weverse. Weverse allows K-Pop idols to interact with fans worldwide and was originally only used by HYBE Labels artists until 2021.
Now, most K-Pop groups have migrated to the platform.
While the different groups under the label have various followings, it’s no surprise that recently debuted RIIZE ranks among the top five most subscribed.
The platform offers many different things from the past Kwangya app, but one thing stood out in particular for fans of RIIZE, and it involves their “official” positions.
When you click on the name of a group in the Weverse app, you are taken to a page where you can learn more about each member, including their positions in the group, like with WayV‘s Kun, as seen below.
Each member of RIIZE have a short message describing their past and current details about their roles in the group. It is these details that have some fans and netizens confused.
For example, Shotaro’s profile details him as the oldest group member, describing him as the team’s “vitamin,” but does not name him as leader or main dancer as some fans assumed it would.
The oldest hyung of RIIZE. He is an unrivaled performer with incomparable skills. He’s the team’s vitamin—with his big smile giving everyone that energy boost.
— Shotaro’s Weverse Profile
In Sungchan’s case, he is named the “tallest” member instead of an official position like a rapper or sub-vocalist.
The tallest member of RIIZE. He has a good physique and is talented at rapping. He has the eloquence of a show host, so he can hype up his team no matter the situation!
— Sungchan’s Weverse Profile
Comparing these two to Eunseok’s profile, which names him the group’s official visual in the first sentence, it seems strange that Shotaro and Sungchan have not been given official positions.
RIIZE’s visual. He adds charms to the song with his good mid-to-low voice. Unlike his soft and calm appearance, he is a member who gives a big laugh to the team based on a rather wild joke
— Eunseok’s Weverse Profile
Netizens discussed these strange positions, wondering if they were just this way because they only debuted last week.
what the fuck does being tall have to do with anything 😭 https://t.co/5OHDntxOka
— nat lover (@chittulip) September 12, 2023
me tryna figure out how "eldest, tallest and in charge of cuteness" are positions 😭😭💀 like this gem of kpop is insane what happened to "main vocal" and "main dancer" and "main rapper" https://t.co/KSOB0cnYEy
— m♌︎ (@jongseoblvrr) September 12, 2023
girl sungchan and shotaro did not showcase their talents for 3 years to be labelled as “eldest” and “tallest” literally what the gell is going on here https://t.co/5KyuwwMsWF
— :3 (@hckvrs) September 12, 2023
“tallest” 😒 sm, get it the fuck together.. https://t.co/waWzeiB6Vd
— lychee (@sunwoosheart) September 12, 2023