I don’t think it’s about the fans. It’s about investors, brand deals, and CFs.
K-pop companies are more worried about potentially missing on huge deals with domestic corporations.
If I remember correctly, most of the initial backlash about Seunghan didn’t even come from RIIZE fans. It came from bitter, angry, likely older K-netizens who took issue with Seunghan not for dating, but for taking pics of himself doing PDA with his girlfriend. They mentioned the “smug look” on his face (their words).
SM probably didn’t want to risk losing out on potential domestic deals, so sent they him on hiatus.
Knowing how he’s perceived, many K-BRIIZE feared for the group’s reputation and wanted him out.
It’s not about “crazy, obsessed fangirls heartbroken about oppa” the way I-fans assume it is.
