RIIZE is gearing up for a grand return next month!
After a bittersweet 2024, the 6-member K-pop boy group will gear up for their first Korean release, “Odyssey,” in nearly a year. After a lengthy anticipation, the group is finally releasing their debut full-length album, packed with a slew of brand-new tracks.
On April 28 at midnight, SM Entertainment dropped the trailer for their first-ever studio album “Odyssey”. It seems they are making up for the long wait with lots of new songs.
‘Odyssey’ means a grand journey of discovery and change, perfect for RIIZE’s album, hinting at growth, challenges, and new horizons
Even though it’s been almost a year since their first mini-album “RIIZING” came out in June 2023, RIIZE has been busy. They went on a fan-con tour, debuted in Japan with the single “Lucky,” and even released a repackaged album called “RIIZING: Epilogue” with a new song, “Combo.”
Their first mini-album “RIIZING” became a million-seller (1,255,015 copies) in its debut week and has sold over 1.3 million copies so far. It ranked No.5 on the Billboard World Album Chart. With their new release, RIIZE is expected to break into Billboard’s main album chart, Billboard 200.
RIIZE debuted as a seven-member group in late 2023 under SM Entertainment. They rose to fame with a string of hits such as “Love 119”, “Siren”, “Get a Guitar”, “Talk Saxy”, “Boom Boom Bass”, and more. Shortly after their debut, member Seunghan was embroiled in a controversy after pre-debut photos with his girlfriend were leaked online. This led to a massive backlash, and he apologized to fans and went on indefinite hiatus.
Last October, SM Entertainment finally announced his return, and fans were thrilled. However, their happiness was short-lived as SM overturned its decision and removed him from the group after protests from a segment of OT6 fans.
Following the controversy, a significant number of fans left the fandom and heavily criticized the label for succumbing to bullying. Despite this, Seunghan is moving forward, preparing for a solo debut in the second half of the year.
RIIZE’s comeback is their first since Seunghan left, and everyone’s eager to see if they will maintain the same level of support.
Meanwhile, RIIZE will release their first album “Odyssey” globally on May 19 at 6 pm KST.