U.S. Court Grants SM Request to Identify Anonymous Accounts Behind Seunghan Return Campaign

Fan support demonstration for Seunghan outside SM Entertainment headquarters. Photo: Alice (@_jaylice) via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

SM Entertainment has received approval from a U.S. federal court to seek identifying information for anonymous X accounts accused of organizing coordinated campaigns demanding former RIIZE member Seunghan’s return to the group.

According to court records reported by Sisa Journal, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas granted SM’s discovery application against X on October 14, nine days after the company filed its request.

SM is seeking information connected to two anonymous accounts whose activities allegedly included criticism of the company, claims concerning Seunghan’s treatment, boycott calls, coordinated hashtag campaigns and repeated submissions to SM’s artist-protection platform KWANGYA 119.

According to SM’s filing, one account operator instructed followers to create at least five accounts, clear their cache and turn airplane mode off and on before submitting reports again in order to bypass a restriction preventing repeated posts on the same board within 10 minutes.

SM claimed that approximately 3,368 Seunghan-related submissions were classified as spam or coordinated posts on October 15, 2024 alone. The company said cumulative submissions had reached approximately 32,785 by August 7, 2025.

Another account operator was accused of organizing balloons, banners, advertising vehicles and illuminated displays near SM’s headquarters. The company argued that some of the installations occupied regulated public areas without authorization and required substantial staff resources to address.

SM had previously filed a civil lawsuit against the two unidentified account operators in South Korea. The U.S. discovery request was later filed as part of efforts to determine the defendants’ identities through information held by X.

However, the court’s approval does not necessarily mean SM will immediately receive the identities. X may object or seek reconsideration, which could lead to further court proceedings.

Seunghan suspended activities with RIIZE in 2023 following controversy over leaked private material. SM announced his return in October 2024, but reversed the decision following backlash, and Seunghan subsequently left the group.

Netizen Reactions

The sampled comments were largely supportive of the investigation, with several users expressing curiosity about who operated the accounts and whether there was anyone else behind the campaigns.

1. Even if it was just one unhinged individual, they still need to investigate. SM must have suffered major losses from the disruption to its business.

2. I really hope they get caught and we find out who was behind all of this.

3. I hope they catch them and reveal everything.

4. I was wondering why they would file a lawsuit over a fandom campaign, but I guess it might be something like obstruction of business.

5. I’m so curious ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

6. According to SM, one account operator encouraged followers to submit posts demanding Seunghan’s return by telling them to “create at least five accounts, clear your cache, turn airplane mode off and on, and submit again.” That was apparently a way to bypass the restriction preventing another post on the same board within 10 minutes. They said around 3,368 Seunghan-related submissions were classified as spam or coordinated posting on October 15, 2024 alone, with about 32,785 accumulated by August 7, 2025. This is crazy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ No wonder they’re investigating.

7. Whoa, who could it be? I’m f*cking curious. Daebak.

8. Who’s behind this? I hope they really dig into it and uncover everything.

9. Isn’t this basically negative viral marketing against RIIZE? They got dragged so much overseas because of this for years.

10. Whoa, f*ck, I got chills reading this. This is seriously an abyss.

Source: TheQoo