October 25, 2026 | KWaveScope · KPOP-NEW
RIIZE are asking listeners to pay attention to a different side of the group. Their new digital single, Insomnia, is a step away from the kind of choreography-led performance that can grab an audience in seconds. This time, the six members want the emotion to come through their voices.
The song is due out at midnight KST on October 26. SM Entertainment describes it as an acoustic-pop track with guitar at its centre, built around the thoughts that grow harder to ignore as a sleepless night stretches on. Lyricist Kim Eana worked on the words, which follow the complicated feelings of thinking about someone who is not there.
Six voices, one feeling
What makes the release interesting is how specifically the members have discussed recording it. Shotaro said they worked on vocal tone, phrasing and the balance between overlapping parts. Singing together was not simply a matter of holding the same note: the members had to find room for one another’s voices.
Sungchan talked about shaping each line so the emotion felt natural over the restrained acoustic backing. Sohee singled out the guitar in the arrangement and said he hoped the single would be remembered as a song that showed what RIIZE’s vocals can do. Eunseok identified the members’ combined harmonies as its central highlight.
Wonbin drew attention to the way different voices enter the same passage, while Anton spoke about wanting the song to carry memories of 2026 for years to come. These are small details, but they reveal a clear ambition: the group want listeners to hear the individual character of each singer without losing the sound of RIIZE as a whole.
Why the mood matters
The title Insomnia suggests a familiar experience, but the group’s account of the song makes it more personal than a simple breakup ballad. Being awake at night can mean missing someone, replaying a conversation or finding comfort in a memory. The restrained arrangement seems designed to leave space for those different interpretations.
RIIZE have long described their music under the broader idea of “emotional pop.” A softer track is another way to explore that identity. A big performance song creates impact through rhythm and motion; a vocal-focused one depends on timing, delivery and what happens when several voices meet. For a group so closely associated with energetic stages, that is a meaningful change in emphasis.
A music video told as a story
SM Entertainment has described a dramatized music video about people who cannot sleep. The approach places the members in a more cinematic setting rather than presenting only a stage performance. Side stories and promotional footage have introduced that direction ahead of release, but the complete video and recording have not yet been released as of this October 25 report.
It is worth keeping that distinction clear. The arrangement, themes and approach described here come from the group’s advance comments; how the finished song sounds will be something fans can judge once the recording is available.
What to listen for on October 26
Artist: RIIZE — Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Sohee and Anton. Single: Insomnia. Release: October 26, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. KST. The music video is expected on SMTOWN’s official YouTube channel at the same time.
When it arrives, try listening once without watching the video. Notice who carries each line, where another member’s voice joins in and whether the harmonies change the feeling of the words. This is a comeback that may be best understood through the quiet details.
Sources
Chosunbiz English — member interview, October 25 · News1 — SM Entertainment’s single announcement, October 25
KWaveScope insight: Not every comeback needs to sound bigger. Insomnia is a chance to see how much character RIIZE can reveal simply by bringing their voices closer together.