SM Entertainment launched a new boy group 7 years after NCT.
It is RIIZE. RIIZE consists of 7 members: Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee and Anton.
RIIZE’s debut gained significant attention due to the recent disputes within SM Entertainment regarding the departure of founder-former major shareholder Lee Soo Man. They signed a label contract with RCA Records under Sony Music Entertainment even before their official debut, and received interest from fashion brands like Musinsa. However, there was some negative attention surrounding Seunghan and Sohee’s private lives.
RIIZE’s debut showcase took place at the Blue Square Mastercard Hall, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, hosted by Super Junior Leeteuk. Members expressed their excitement and determination to deliver great music and performances to fans.
Before the members’ introductions, the event featured a presentation by the in-house multi-producing center Wizard Production led by directors Kim Hyung Kook and Lee Sang Min. The group name “RIIZE” was coined by Director Lee Sang Min. It combines “Rise”, which means “growth”, and “Realize”, which means “a team that grows together and realizes dreams”.
RIIZE aims to embody the essence of growth, with the directors emphasizing that their music is the core element that sets them apart. Their debut single “Get A Guitar” includes the title track of the same name and a pre-release song called “Memories”. They already appeared on music shows with “Memories” and performed at KCON in Los Angeles. Their “Siren” performance video also received positive responses.
The title track, “Get A Guitar,” is a song with a retro-style synthesizer and funky guitar rhythms. It is themed around the time RIIZE members spent preparing for their debut.
Wonbin said, “The guitar sound, as the title suggests, is the highlight, and we all liked the song as soon as we heard it. I think fans will like it as much as we do.”
Sohee added, “This song marks the official beginning of RIIZE. The part ‘Get, get, get, get a guitar’ is particularly catchy.”
Sungchan explained, “It’s a song that the members enjoyed freely, and we put effort into maintaining a comfortable yet hip vibe. We recorded it many times to ensure its quality.”
Seunghan reflected, “It was my first time preparing for a debut song, so I was quite nervous and made a lot of mistakes. However, the staff guided and praised us, making the process enjoyable.”
Shotaro highlighted a specific part of the “Get A Guitar” performance, “During the bridge, there’s a rock ‘n’ roll pose where we sing ‘Get, get, get, get a guitar’. I really like this part, and I hope many of you will follow along.”
Wonbin added, “There’s a part where we say ‘Baby’ and do a dance move where we flip our hair with both hands. It is really fun. It’s easy to follow, so please join in the challenge.”
According to SM, RIIZE’s debut single, “Get A Guitar,” surpassed 1,032,144 pre-orders as of the 3rd day, hinting at the possibility of RIIZE becoming a million-seller. Sungchan expressed, “The number of pre-orders exceeding 1 million is somewhat surreal. We are truly grateful to our fans. We will show good music and performances and work even harder.”
Looking ahead, what are their goals? Sungchan said, “Of course, chart performance is important, but more than that, as this is a new beginning for RIIZE, we hope that many people can enjoy our music.”
Sohee said, “Since we are rookies, I really want to win Best New Artist that we can only receive during the rookie period. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
When asked about their thoughts on re-debuting as RIIZE after previously being NCT members in 2020, Shotaro shared, “My time with NCT was truly meaningful and an honor. As RIIZE, we will show a new side of us, so I hope you will support us.”
Sungchan added, “As I start anew with RIIZE, I feel the need to work even harder. When we recently recorded at music shows, NCT gave us a lot of support. We’re supporting each other and promoting together.“
RIIZE released their debut single, “Get A Guitar,” at 6 PM KST on September 4th. RIIZE is set to release new singles in November and December of this year, with a new album scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2024.
Source: Daum.
