RIIZE Reveals How They Overcame 'Tough Times' Together as They Kick Off Their First North American Tour (Exclusive) Brendan LeOctober 30, 2025 at 11:00 PM 0 SM Entertainment Anton, Sohee, Shotaro, Wonbin, Eunseok and Sungchan of RIIZE RIIZE, comprised of members Sungchan, Shotaro, Eunseok, Wonbin, A...
- - RIIZE Reveals How They Overcame 'Tough Times' Together as They Kick Off Their First North American Tour (Exclusive)
Brendan LeOctober 30, 2025 at 11:00 PM
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SM Entertainment
Anton, Sohee, Shotaro, Wonbin, Eunseok and Sungchan of RIIZE -
RIIZE, comprised of members Sungchan, Shotaro, Eunseok, Wonbin, Anton and Sohee, embarks on their first-ever North American tour leg for their Riizing Loud concerts
They open up about what life is like on the road, how their bond has grown and what they're looking forward to in their future — including new music on Nov. 24
The group speaks about the controversial departure of former member Seunghan last October for the first time
It's all looking up for RIIZE.
Two years after their debut, the six-member boy group of Sungchan, Shotaro, Eunseok, Wonbin, Anton and Sohee will embark on their first North American leg as part of their Riizing Loud tour. The shows, in support of their first studio album Odyssey, kick off in Rosemont, Ill., on Thursday, Oct. 30.
Before they headed to Chicagoland, the members stopped by the PEOPLE offices to open up about the tour life — including what they're most excited to experience in the States.
"I'm looking forward to the energy of U.S. fans," says Shotaro, 24.
Amy E. Price/FilmMagic
Wonbin, Anton, Eunseok, Sungchan, Sohee and Shotaro of RIIZE at Austin City Limits
At Austin City Limits, where RIIZE became the first K-pop group to perform at the festival, Shotaro found the vibe "completely different" to their fan interactions in South Korea.
"Walking down the street and the fans would scream out, 'Oh, you're so cool. Your outfit is so cool!' That's a thing we would not really hear from home," he explains.
For Anton, 21, who spent most of his childhood in New Jersey, the New York City stop is somewhat of a homecoming. Although he says he's "nervous," he looks forward to performing in his hometown to family and friends for the first time.
Now that he's in N.Y.C. on business, Anton admits it's "funny" seeing his fellow members romp around the places he grew up frequenting.
"The first day we got here, the members were really nervous speaking English, but even after being here for just a few days, it was the most English I've ever heard them speak before," he says.
SM Entertainment
Anton, Shotaro, Wonbin, Sungchan, Eunseok and Sohee of RIIZE
The six are constantly in communication — a testament to their closeness after more than two years of living, training and performing with each other.
"We were literally together 24/7," Shotaro says. "[My groupmates] wouldn't be able to talk to me before, but now, we just play and pull around."
Their friendship has helped them weather rough periods as a group. In November 2023, only three months into their career, their company SM Entertainment released a statement saying that then-member Seunghan would "halt activities" due to the leak and circulation of "issues regarding his personal life," including pre-debut photos of him kissing a woman in bed and smoking a cigarette.
Ten months later, SM announced he would return to the group. While a sect of their fandom BRIIZE celebrated the comeback, a more conservative portion protested by sending funeral wreaths to the company headquarters. Less than 48 hours after, SM backtracked on their decision, and Seunghan, 22, left RIIZE permanently.
JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty
Sungchan, Seunghan, Sohee, Wonbin, Shotaro, Eunseok and Anton in September 2023
Since the controversial ordeal, Seunghan has re-debuted as a soloist under the moniker Xnghan. All his former groupmates are "glad to see that he's doing well for himself," says Anton.
Adds Shotaro, "We do bump into each other at the company, but we just support each other. We greet each other warmly."
Both parties have moved forward from the situation, and the group acknowledges that every team will inevitably endure "tough moments."
"Thankfully, we're doing well, and he's doing well," Anton says.
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Sohee, Wonbin, Sungchan, Shotaro, Eunseok and Anton of RIIZE
As for how RIIZE coped with the aftermath of Seunghan's departure, they threw themselves into work — and it brought them closer together.
"Since we still had things that we had to get done, it gave us an opportunity to bond even more and work together even more," Anton explains. "We got through those tough times, and we're here now."
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With their first two years behind them, the group stands at a pivotal transition in their career.
"We just finished our chapter one, and we're at the moment where we're stepping into the next chapter," says Eunseok, 24.
SM Entertainment
Anton, Sohee, Wonbin, Eunseok, Shotaro and Sungchan of RIIZE on their Riizing Loud tour
They're not sure what the next few years hold, but what's certain is more performances (their first stadium show at Tokyo Dome is next February), more songs (they will release new music on Nov. 24) and more growth.
As Anton puts it: "Hopefully, we'll still be rising as a team."
Tickets to RIIZE's Riizing Loud tour are on sale now.
on People
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