On December 11, SM Entertainment announced that RIIZE was chosen as the latest house ambassador for the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton.

The label explained the French luxury brand had selected the group in recognition of their trendsetting unique style, and unparalleled visuals. The first pictorial photo of the group donning Louis Vuitton outfits was released along with the announcement. 

The latest photo release has triggered a discussion in a popular online community where netizens are certain that Seunghan has been permanently removed from RIIZE.

RIIZE has been a constant topic of debate in various online communities after past photos of Seunghan visiting a hotel with his then-girlfriend were leaked online. 

Subsequently, after the hotel scandal, Seunghan faced renewed criticism when a private social media live-streaming video and footage of the idol smoking on the streets were also leaked, further adding to the controversies surrounding him.

Due to the series of controversies, SM Entertainment ultimately announced that Seunghan would be taking an indefinite hiatus from group activities.

Although there were initial speculations about Seunghan's departure from the group, many doubted the likelihood of SM Entertainment removing a member. The latest development, however, has shifted perceptions, as RIIZE is announced as the new house ambassador for Louis Vuitton. This revelation has convinced a considerable number of netizens that Seunghan's departure from RIIZE is indeed permanent.

Netizens commented, "It's certain that Seunghan was removed from the group. They got an ad deal without him," "If he was part of the group still, they wouldn't have become ambassadors," "I think this is proof that Seunghan's removal is permanent," "But RIIZE is really successful, becoming an ambassador of a famous brand," "Why are people saying that Seunghan was edited out? The photo is high resolution and Anton just came out awkward because of his hands in his pocket. I don't get why people are saying Seunghan was deleted from this photo," "I wish they release an official statement about this," and "People need to leave him alone."