SM Entertainment has won a key legal step in its effort to identify two anonymous X accounts that led campaigns calling for former RIIZE member Seunghan to return to the group. A US federal court in Texas approved the agency’s request on October 14, 2026, just nine days after it was filed, according to court records reviewed by Sisa Journal. The approval allows SM to seek account holder information from X (formerly Twitter) as part of an ongoing civil lawsuit in South Korea.
The two accounts, identified in court documents as @RIIZE***** and @ri********, were linked to boycott calls, organized hashtag campaigns, and repeated spam submissions to SM’s artist protection center, KWANGYA 119. The court’s decision does not immediately hand over personal details. X can still challenge the ruling, and further legal steps may follow.
What the Court Approved
The US District Court for the Western District of Texas granted SM’s discovery application against X Corp. on October 14, 2026. The filing was submitted on October 5, and the ruling came through in nine days. SM requested identity information for the two accounts to move forward with a civil lawsuit it filed in Seoul Eastern District Court in 2025.
Discovery is a pre-trial process that allows one party to gather evidence from another. In this case, SM is asking X to provide details that could identify who operates the two accounts. The court’s approval means X must respond to the request, but it does not guarantee that the information will be handed over without further legal review.
Why SM Went to Court
SM’s application listed several activities tied to the two accounts. The agency said the accounts criticized SM’s treatment of Seunghan, called for boycotts, and ran organized hashtag campaigns. The main grounds for the filing were repeated spam submissions to KWANGYA 119 and unauthorized offline protest setups near SM’s headquarters.
Court records show that one account operator told followers to create at least five accounts, clear their cache, toggle airplane mode on and off, and resubmit reports. This method was used to get around a 10-minute limit that prevents the same user from posting again quickly. On October 15, 2024 alone, about 3,368 submissions related to Seunghan were classified as spam or coordinated posting. By August 7, 2025, the cumulative total reached approximately 32,785 submissions.
The second account was linked to placing balloons, banners, protest trucks, and electronic display boards near SM’s Seoul headquarters. SM said these actions disrupted company operations and required significant staff resources to manage.
The Legal Path From Seoul to Texas
SM filed a civil lawsuit against the two account operators in Seoul Eastern District Court in 2025. To move that case forward, the agency needed to identify the defendants. Since X is a US-based company, SM turned to a US federal court for help. The discovery application was filed in Texas, where X Corp. has a legal presence.
The agency has also worked with Shin & Kim LLC and a US-based law firm on discovery proceedings against accounts on multiple platforms. SM has said that anonymity on overseas platforms should not be used as a shield to avoid legal responsibility.
X Can Still Push Back
The court’s approval is not the final step. X can object to the ruling and request a review. If that happens, the court will need to make another decision. A similar case involving singer IU and Meta saw delays after Meta raised concerns about user notification rights and the time period for the request. SM’s path to actually obtaining the account holders’ information may still face procedural hurdles.
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Seunghan’s Path After RIIZE
Seunghan suspended group activities in 2023 after private life photos surfaced online. His return to RIIZE was announced on October 11, 2024, but the plan was withdrawn after fan backlash. He left the group permanently on October 13, 2024.
Since then, Seunghan has built a solo career under the artist brand XngHan & Xoul. His debut single “Waste No Time” arrived on July 31, 2025. He followed it with the mini album “Glow” in 2026 and the Japanese single “HIGH BEAM” on September 30, 2026. He also won the Best Male Singer award at the 2026 Korea First Brand Awards in January.
RIIZE continues as a six-member group with Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Sohee, and Anton. The group released its second mini album “II” on June 15, 2026, led by the single “Do Your Dance”.
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Fans Split Between Support and Criticism
Seunghan’s return campaign has drawn support from international fans who believe he was treated unfairly. Some overseas fan groups have hired a Korean law firm to sue SM over his departure. Fans backing his return have asked SM for an official apology, reputation restoration, and a place back in the group.
Online reaction to the court ruling has been mixed. Some commenters questioned why SM is pursuing individual fan accounts while other issues go unaddressed. Others said the spam tactics and unauthorized protest setups crossed a line. The Pannchoa comment section under the theqoo post about the ruling showed a range of views, with some users expressing curiosity about who was behind the accounts and others criticizing SM’s legal focus.
Also Read: Former RIIZE Member Seunghan Announces Solo Debut as XngHan With New Single “Waste No Time”
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