RIIZE—currently composed of Anton, Eunseok, Shotaro, Sohee, Sungchan, and Wonbin—is gearing up for a spring comeback. Their agency, SM Entertainment, has recently confirmed that the group is set to release new material in April. Their last release, the single album Love 119, dropped in January.
With “Love 119,” RIIZE won their first music show trophy on M Countdown. They also became the first boy group that debuted in the 2020s to score a win on Inkigayo, with 6,167 points, beating out songs by ITZY and Lim Jae Hyun. RIIZE joins other K-pop artists who are preparing to return to the music scene in April, including their seniors SEVENTEEN and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT).
RIIZE win 1st place with Love 119 on SBS INKIGAYO 240121
The controversial hand shape
The anticipation for RIIZE’s comeback was further fueled by a teaser their agency shared earlier this month. The teaser hinted at the upcoming release of the group’s official lightstick. However, not everyone was happy with the design, which featured a hand with the index finger and thumb pointing outward. Some fans thought it looked too much like Epik High’s “Park Kyu Bong” lightstick.
Concerns arose over the design potentially causing issues for the group in Japan, where the gesture of the index finger and thumb pointing outward connotes cursing. After fans let SM Entertainment know what they thought of the design via their KWANGYA 119 platform, the agency decided to revise it. They later posted a new teaser for the lightstick. This one omitted the controversial hand shape. All it said was, “Official fanlight will be released in April.”
— RIIZE (@RIIZE_official) March 6, 2024
RIIZE will embark on a worldwide tour
Looking ahead, RIIZE is set to hold their first fan concert since their debut at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium on May 4 and 5. Following these performances, they will embark on a worldwide tour, visiting cities across the globe including Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Manila, Singapore, Taipei, and Tokyo.
2024 RIIZE FAN-CON TOUR ‘RIIZING DAY’ GREETING MESSAGE
This tour will further solidify their international appeal and fanbase. – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: Are you ready for RIIZE’s return? Source: X/@yantong321.