Think about if virtually each second in your life was documented: the great, the unhealthy, the humorous, the embarrassing and even probably the most heartbreaking. For the Ok-pop famous person group ENHYPEN, they don’t must think about it. It has been part of their lives since they have been youngsters, after they participated within the Korean competitors collection “I-LAND” in 2020.
Premiering on the top of BTS mania, during which BTS made an look, the collection was a three way partnership between multinational leisure corporations CJ Leisure and HYBE. It was a worldwide success, with worldwide on-line viewership of over 20 million throughout 12 episodes, and participation from over 178 international locations within the voting.
Each a part of the contestants’ lives was documented as they lived and educated on the compound, with each fan-favorite second was fan edits and memes. Even after the collection concluded, it didn’t take lengthy for the group to debut and return to the general public eye. Inside two months, ENHYPEN — comprised of Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-Ki — launched their first EP, “Border: Day One.”
Since then, the group’s meteoric rise has been nonstop: They’ve launched 11 albums (5 of which have positioned within the Billboard 200 High 10), carried out at this 12 months’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Pageant and completed two world excursions. The group is at the moment on its third worldwide jaunt, the “Stroll the Line” world tour, and is about to carry out Saturday at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
It’s arduous to imagine it has solely been 5 years since they debuted. Now almost of their early 20s, the group’s members are making an attempt to show that they’re now not the boys they as soon as have been in the beginning of their careers. With their newest album launch, “Want: Unleash,” they need to present ENGENEs — the identify for his or her fandom — how a lot they’ve grown as artists and as individuals. Their latest Coachella set showcased a extra edgy aspect to their efficiency, one which that they had organized themselves.
“One of the crucial spectacular moments in our progress journey was Coachella,” says Heeseung. “Once I suppose again to once we simply debuted, I don’t suppose we have been even boys. We have been virtually infants. We started this journey with such younger members, and we’ve made all of it the best way right here. We grew bodily, however all through this journey, we additionally grew mentally, and that has helped us present the most effective aspect of ourselves.”
Rising up within the public eye was not simple for the group, whose youngest member, Ni-Ki, was 14 years outdated throughout the competitors. They needed to adapt to their new way of life shortly, however felt lucky to be surrounded by crew and workers that made it simpler. Although Ni-Ki is conscious his childhood was not the norm, he says he acquired loads of psychological stimulation that helped him grow to be the individual he’s now.
Ok-pop band ENHYPEN on the Dream Stage at KCON 2024.
(Konuk Ryu)
“As a result of I began on this scene from a younger age, I needed to undergo many adjustments,” Ni-Ki explains. “For instance, my character underwent many adjustments, and I spotted many alternative issues as a result of I used to be in atmosphere for that to occur.”
Sunoo admits they have been just a little immature and clumsy throughout “I-LAND” and even throughout their debut, however it was actually who they have been on the time. What has been depicted by way of the present, behind-the-scenes footage and their social media is who they’re.
“Now that I give it some thought, we confirmed virtually every part,” Sunoo admits. “Through the present, we have been displaying the very uncooked model of ourselves. I feel our followers did love these sides of us as nicely. As we grew, they obtained to like us much more.”
Chief Jungwon believes that having every part on social media helped the group’s reputation as they debuted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Since they couldn’t meet their followers offline, they relied on social media to attach with them. He says, “There are clear execs and cons of being on this [digital] period. Earlier than we debuted and appeared on ‘I-LAND,’ social media was already widespread, making it simple for issues about us to go viral.”
Dr. Hye Jin Lee, a Ok-pop scholar and medical assistant professor on the USC Annenberg Faculty for Communication and Journalism, notes that social media could have helped ENHYPEN develop additional, as social media utilization reached an all-time excessive throughout the pandemic. TikTok customers soared round that point, offering one other platform for the group to extend its visibility and share its music by way of short-form content material. With over 30 million followers on TikTok, the group follows viral tendencies and dance challenges, in addition to schedules livestreams on each TikTok and its firm’s official app, Weverse.
“ENHYPEN needed to depend on digital media to fulfill and work together with followers on account of debuting at a time when in-person performances weren’t attainable,” Lee explains. “That has allowed them to construct sturdy connections with their followers. That’s why they’re extra prolific on social media. They submit on Weverse day by day and are very energetic on TikTok.”
ENHYPEN is aware of its public picture and the fixed surveillance by its followers by way of the group’s media and livestream appearances. At first, they have been cautious of the picture they needed to challenge. Nevertheless, over time, they realized it was higher simply to be themselves.
“As of late, I need to present who I’m and the pure aspect of myself,” says Sunghoon. “Going ahead, as I age, the notion that I want to have would change as nicely. As you grow old, the best way you suppose additionally adjustments. However, in the mean time and current, I simply need to be who I’m in entrance of different individuals.”
Followers seen these adjustments, because the members have begun to precise their opinions and bounds brazenly. Jungwon not too long ago admitted throughout an interview that he felt he was too younger when he first carried out their the group’s track “Fever.” Jake started opening up concerning the pressures he felt all through his profession. Sunoo, who was given the nickname “Ddeonu” for his cute expressions, has began to show down doing cute poses throughout interviews and livestreams.
“I don’t suppose being cute on a regular basis may be very appropriate for who I’m at this second,” Sunoo shares. “Our followers nonetheless would like to see me being cute and lovely, so I don’t suppose I can get rid of it utterly. So after they need to see that aspect of me, I’m going forward, however I don’t exit of my strategy to do it when there isn’t any request. That’s the type of steadiness I’m making an attempt to strike at this second.”
Jay has taken it a step additional, happening the group’s official livestream channels to supply recommendation to ENGENEs who’re struggling or looking for steering. He provides his personal life experiences to his phrases of consolation and recommendation, opening up one other aspect to the intense artist.
“Being on this profession for the previous 5 years, I’ve come to comprehend that it’s actually not possible to make issues up,” he stated. “I imagine that one aspect that we are able to actually present to individuals is once we’re true to ourselves. At any time when I do one thing or take into consideration one thing, I attempt to be honest and sincere about my emotions and now not make issues simply because I need to be seen in a sure means or go away a sure type of impression.”
Followers have regarded out for the group’s finest pursuits, together with commenting on the members’ hectic schedule. As some of the in-demand teams within the business, with a number of comebacks, excursions, trend reveals, press days, selection reveals, model ambassadorships and writing/producing music, ENHYPEN’s members is aware of what they’ve signed up for in turning into a Ok-pop artist.
“It’s very heartwarming that our followers are very involved about our well being, however I need to say that the very core of every part that we do is coming from our ardour,” says Jake. “Nobody is telling us to do that. We need to do that. We selected this for ourselves. Going again to that thought helps us keep grounded and motivated.”
Though they cherish the “I-LAND” and debut reminiscences of the previous 5 years, they’re looking forward to the group’s future in 2025. Jay says this 12 months marks a major turning level of their careers, highlighted by Coachella, “Want: Unleash” and the “Stroll the Line” world tour.
“This can be a constant circulate,” says Jay. “It’s going to be this momentum that can convey us to our subsequent step as ENHYPEN. We are going to use this as a starting to enterprise out into many extra fields forward.”
Sunghoon is wanting ahead to creating it to a decade with the group, inquisitive about how that can search for them collectively and individually.
“I’m positive ENHYPEN can be collectively, however I feel we’ll be extra energetic in pursuing our particular person pursuits,” he stated. “I’m curious to search out out what that can appear to be and the way way more we could have grown [by then]. Once we work as people, we work arduous, and once we get collectively once more, we are going to work amazingly as a crew.”
