RIIZE’s Seunghan has gone on a hiatus while BABYMONSTER’s Ahyeon saw her debut plans fall through
Both idols, already garnering much attention thanks to being part of rookie groups under large entertainment companies, are now the focus of significant interest simply for being excluded from their respective group activities.
Each has cited personal life controversies and health reasons for their suspensions. Analysts suggest that complex issues involving stock prices, fandom, and more are intertwined, especially when compared to similar situations with other groups in the past.
RIIZE’s Seunghan, embroiled in a controversy over his personal life, recently announced to go on a temporary hiatus. SM Entertainment stated on November 22nd, “Seunghan expressed his intention to suspend activities for the sake of the group due to mental stress and a sense of responsibility.”
Seunghan faced a controversy when videos and photos from his trainee days were leaked on social media and online communities. However, SM did not provide a specific return date for Seunghan, emphasizing that it is a suspension, not a withdrawal.
YG Entertainment also faced a failed debut for Ahyeon, a member of BABYMONSTER, the first girl group unveiled after seven years after BLACKPINK.
On November 15th, YG announced, “Ahyeon has decided to focus on rest for a while after careful consideration due to health reasons,” and expressed the intention to support her recovery and return.
Ahyeon, introduced as a BABYMONSTER candidate in January of this year, earned the nickname ‘Little Jennie’ for her outstanding visuals and skills. Similar to SM, YG did not provide a clear stance on Ahyeon’s return date.
The announcements of Seunghan and Ahyeon’s activity suspensions came somewhat late after their related issues surfaced. Seunghan’s private life controversy emerged in August, before his debut, and at that time, SM stated that Seunghan deeply reflected on the disappointment caused to fans and the company would manage and support RIIZE more closely for their future activities.
Ahyeon did not appear on BABYMONSTER’s official social media since July. Her situation was revealed after four months when the debut cancellation rumors spread, just 10 days before the scheduled debut on November 27th.
In fact, in the case of idols, controversies over private life have often led to immediate departure from the groups. Ravn, a member of ONEUS, faced allegations of verbal abuse and threats towards his ex-girlfriend last year. RBW officially announced Ravn’s withdrawal about two weeks after the controversy arose.
Lucas, a member of NCT/WayV under SM, was accused of gaslighting and cheating by his ex-girlfriend in 2021. He went on a hiatus from activities to self-reflect and eventually withdrew from the group in June.
In light of SM and YG’s somewhat ambiguous statements regarding Seunghan and Ahyeon, some speculate that the decisions were influenced by considerations for their stock prices and other financial factors.
RIIZE and BABYMONSTER are not only considered the next-generation representative idols for SM and YG but also crucial revenue streams.
RIIZE, debuted in September, ambitiously presented by SM as the next flagship boy group after EXO, garnered significant attention. BABYMONSTER, launched by YG seven years after BLACKPINK, is known to have received meticulous attention from YG’s former CEO and chief producer, Yang Hyun Suk.
Moreover, both SM and YG are currently facing risks such as the KakaoTalk controversy involving price manipulation for SM and the issues of Yang Hyun Suk under suspicion of retaliation threats and BLACKPINK’s uncertain contract renewal.
Additionally, Korea’s entertainment industry has been facing various challenges recently. An industry insider commented, “The announcements of Seunghan and Ahyeon’s activity suspensions seem like difficult decisions from the perspective of the agencies. It is speculated that they announced the suspension early to reduce the risk of facing bigger issues later.”
SM and YG may be gauging the reactions of the fandoms as well. Both RIIZE and BABYMONSTER have garnered high interest not only as groups but also for each member even before their debut. Ignoring the fandom, a crucial measure of an idol’s popularity, is not something entertaining agencies can afford.
Even if their comebacks are ultimately canceled, focusing on the announcement of activity suspension rather than withdrawal could be a strategic move to minimize backlash from the fandom.
Another industry insider said, “Seunghan and Ahyeon already have formed fan bases. Their absence from activities could lead to disappointment among fans, criticism of the agency’s management, or even ‘unstanning.’ The agencies might have considered this as a method of a soft landing to reduce the anger of the fans.”
Source: daum
