Former RIIZE Seunghan’s Appearance In Lee Soo Man Documentary Raises Eyebrows

A new Amazon MGM Studios documentary, Lee Soo Man: King of K-Pop, is drawing attention not just for its deep dive into the history of K-pop but also due to an unexpected appearance by RIIZE‘s former member Seunghan.

| @seunghan.smofficial/Instagram

The documentary — which premiered May 13 on Amazon Prime Video — is directed by Ting Poo and chronicles the legacy of Lee Soo Man, the founder of SM Entertainment. Known as one of the architects behind the global spread of K-Pop, Lee is the man behind acts like BoA, Girls’ Generation, EXO, Red Velvet, and aespa.

Among the interviews and archival footage featuring some of the genre’s most recognized figures, fans were surprised to spot Seunghan in a short clip.

Seunghan’s image teaser for RIIZE’s first release. | SM Entertainment

The former RIIZE star — who stepped away from the group following a string of controversies related to a past relationship and backlash from Korean fans — is briefly shown practicing choreography.

predebut seunghan (with nct wish sion) 🥹🥹🥹 pic.twitter.com/vSoq3OTJvE

— 🐱ྀི (@seunghansmedia) May 13, 2025

While the footage was brief, what truly caught viewers’ attention was Lee Soo Man’s words during the scene.

The most important thing is to have a team that can achieve harmony. If the team can share their ideas with each other, and be supportive of one another then it becomes impossible for that team to fail. Because the team is made of aces.

— Lee Soo Man

Seunghan appearance from Lee Sooman's documentary#SEUNGHAN #승한 pic.twitter.com/oJkX5eMIeJ

— 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒙. (@luvseunqhan) May 13, 2025

Many fans have taken this quote as more than just a general philosophy. With the timing and visuals, some believe it’s a subtle nod to Seunghan’s importance within RIIZE and Lee’s own view of him as an “ace” — a valuable, standout member.

ㅎㅎㅎ seunghan was lee sooman’s pick ㅎㅎㅎ pic.twitter.com/DiMChBVnxP

— 𖤐 (@fleurdehani) May 13, 2025

lee sooman about seunghan “then it becomes impossible for that team to fail because the team is made of aces” pic.twitter.com/JTkfPxlqjb

— Jo ✿ (@h3llohanikitty) May 13, 2025

The scene has since sparked discussion across social media, with netizens debating whether this moment was a quiet show of support from Lee Soo Man. For many, it adds a new layer to the ongoing conversation around Seunghan’s departure.