SM Gets US Court Order in 9 Days to Unmask RIIZE Seunghan Comeback Accounts

A Texas federal court granted SM Entertainment's request to identify two anonymous X accounts that campaigned for RIIZE's Seunghan to return, and it took just nine days. The order came on October 14 (local time), according to court records obtained by Sisa Journal.

The catch: SM doesn't have names yet. If X doesn't consent, it can ask the court to reconsider, and the judge would have to rule again.

What SM says the accounts did

The two accounts are listed in the filing as @RIIZE****** and @ri********. SM's application says their activity included criticism of the company, claims about how Seunghan was treated, calls for a boycott and organized hashtag campaigns. The main complaints were repeated submissions to Kwangya 119, SM's artist rights protection center, and unauthorized installations.

One operator allegedly told followers to submit reports demanding Seunghan's return, with instructions to "create at least five accounts, clear the cache, toggle airplane mode on and off, and then submit another report." That gets around the board's rule blocking the same user from posting again within ten minutes.

SM says about 3,368 Seunghan-related submissions were flagged as spam or organized posting on October 15, 2024, alone. The cumulative total reached roughly 32,785 by August 7, 2025.

The second operator is accused of putting up balloons, banners, advertising trucks and LED light boards near SM's Korean headquarters. SM says these occupied regulated public space without permission, disrupted business and tied up significant staff.

A US court after a Korean lawsuit

SM first filed a civil suit against both operators at the Seoul Eastern District Court last year. To pin down who the defendants are, it then turned to the US discovery process this October. IU went through the same procedure against Meta, where Meta raised user notification rights and the lookup period, and the process dragged.

Seunghan paused activities in 2023 over a personal controversy. His return was announced in October 2024, but after fan backlash SM withdrew the announcement and he left the group. His fans have since issued a statement through legal counsel demanding an official apology from SM, restoration of his reputation and his immediate return to the team.

What theqoo users said

1. 1

   Surprised commenters couldn't believe it might be "that" company and said it gave them goosebumps.

2. 2

   Someone wondered who is paying the international viral marketing firms that spread coordinated hate and rumors, and said the people behind it should be caught.

3. 3

   Another agreed: catch them and expose who was behind it all along.

4. 4

   One user said they were honestly curious, laughing about it.

5. 5

   A commenter quoted SM's account of the five-accounts-and-airplane-mode method with its 3,368 and 32,785 figures, called it insane and said the annoyance is justified.

6. 6

   One asked how such rumors even started.

7. 7

   Another noted that even Min Hee-jin had to sue an American company over forced negative viral marketing, then argued Lee Sooman ruined SM as a fact and asked why people want him back.

8. 8

   A short reply: "that" company again.

9. 9

   Another reacted with shock and named HYBE.

10. 10

    The last commenter called it bizarre that a rookie group, and its unpopular member at that, would attract negative viral buzz like this.