RIIZE is a six-member boy group under SM Entertainment, one of South Korea's "Big Four" entertainment conglomerates. The group debuted on 4th September 2023, and comprises members Shotaro, Eunseok, Seungchan, Wonbin, Anton, and Sohee. The name fuses "Rise" and "Realize", expressing the team's ambition to grow and fulfil their dreams together. Their fanbase, known as "BRIIZE", takes its name from the word "breeze" — evoking the idea that RIIZE will always be present, like a gentle wind wherever one goes. The group generated considerable anticipation even before debut, as SM's first new boy group in seven years.
Origins — Blending Veterans and Newcomers
RIIZE's composition is distinctive. Seungchan and Shotaro had previously been members of SM's established group NCT, with whom they promoted for roughly two years and five months before departing to re-debut in RIIZE. Eunseok joined through SM Rookies, the label's pre-debut artist development programme. Wonbin and Sohee, by contrast, were entirely unknown before RIIZE. This mix of experienced and fresh faces allowed the group to build cohesion quickly from the outset, with Seungchan and Shotaro widely credited for steadying the team early on.
Their debut was immediately striking. The single "Get A Guitar", released in September 2023, sold over one million copies in its first week — a milestone known in the industry as a "million-seller" — making RIIZE the fastest K-pop debut act to achieve that status. Then, barely weeks later, the group faced an unforeseen crisis. Seunghan, who was then a member of the seven-man lineup, became embroiled in controversy after private videos and photographs were leaked without his consent. He suspended activities indefinitely in November 2023. When SM announced his return to the group in October 2024, fans responded forcefully — staging protests outside the company's headquarters with funeral wreaths, a stark symbol of disapproval in Korean culture. Seunghan himself addressed the situation in a handwritten letter, and within three days his departure from the group was confirmed. RIIZE was reconstituted as a six-member act just over a year after its debut. Seunghan has since launched a solo career, with his solo debut planned for the second half of 2025.
Performance — An Unbroken Run of Million-Sellers
Despite the upheaval, RIIZE's commercial trajectory has moved consistently upward. Their first mini-album, "RIIZING", released in 2024, and their first full studio album, "ODYSSEY", released in 2025, both achieved million-seller status. Their second mini-album, "Ⅱ", released on 15th June 2025, sold more than 910,000 copies on its first day alone, topping the Hanteo Chart's daily rankings. By 18th June — just four days after release — cumulative sales had surpassed one million copies, marking RIIZE's fourth consecutive million-seller since debut. The lead single, "Do Your Dance", simultaneously topped music charts in South Korea, China, and Japan, while the album reached the top ten on iTunes' Top Albums chart in 14 regions worldwide.
The group's brand value is considerable. Samsung Electronics appointed RIIZE as global brand ambassadors, featuring them on the CES stage in January 2026 and involving them in promotional content for "ODYSSEY". In October 2025, the group received a commendation from South Korea's Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the 16th Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, in recognition of their contribution to spreading Korean cultural influence abroad.
Challenges — Beyond the Crisis-Management Success Story
RIIZE occupies an unusual position in the K-pop industry. Membership departures typically fracture fanbases and dent album sales; RIIZE instead grew more commercially potent after its restructuring, achieving four million-sellers across its revised lineup — a trajectory that confounds conventional industry wisdom.
Yet challenges lie ahead. SM has signalled a further RIIZE comeback in the second half of the year, which will coincide with a crowded competitive landscape. The return of BTS as a complete group, combined with the military service hiatuses of members from Seventeen — another leading act — is set to intensify competition in the boy-group market to an unprecedented degree. Whether RIIZE, now in only its third year, can sustain its momentum in this environment remains an open question. The group must also square a creative circle: maintaining the "emotional pop" musical identity that SM has positioned as its hallmark, while continuing to set new commercial records with each release.