Heeseung Departs ENHYPEN: What ENGENE Needs to Know About the Group’s First Lineup Change
On March 10, BELIFT LAB announced that Heeseung will leave ENHYPEN — the first lineup change since the group debuted in 2020. The remaining six members — Jake, Jay, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon and Ni-ki — will continue as ENHYPEN. Heeseung will stay signed to BELIFT LAB and is already working on solo music.
The announcement was shared in a statement posted across ENHYPEN’s official channels. For ENGENE who have followed the group since I-LAND, the news arrived with the weight of more than four years of shared history.
What BELIFT LAB said
According to the company’s statement, the decision followed extensive conversations about the group’s direction and Heeseung’s aspirations.
“Through in-depth discussions with each of the members about the future they envision and the direction of the team, it became clear that Heeseung has his own distinct musical vision,” the company said.
BELIFT LAB described the outcome as the result of long deliberation between Heeseung, the group and management — not a sudden move, but an ongoing dialogue among all parties.
Heeseung is not leaving the label. He will remain signed to BELIFT LAB while preparing to launch a solo career, which means he stays within the same company ecosystem even as he steps away from the group.
Heeseung’s words to ENGENE
After the announcement, Heeseung addressed fans directly.
“Thanks to the members with whom I shared countless emotions, and to ENGENE, who always filled every empty space with their support, I was able to take step after step toward a dream that once felt out of reach,” he wrote. “I am working hard on an album so I can meet you all again soon.”
That last line carries specific weight: Heeseung confirmed a solo album is already in progress. BELIFT LAB said additional details about the project have not yet been announced, but Heeseung’s own words signal that music is actively underway. This is a transition, not a disappearance.
His gratitude toward the members and ENGENE, expressed together, reflects the bond that has defined ENHYPEN since its formation.
From I-LAND to this moment
Heeseung was one of seven members selected through the competition show I-LAND in June 2020. He debuted with ENHYPEN on Nov. 30, 2020, with the release of their first EP, Border: Day One.
From that debut onward, the lineup never changed. Every comeback, every tour date, every milestone happened with all seven members intact. That consistency became woven into ENHYPEN’s identity — which is part of why this departure registers as more than a personnel shift for fans who were there from the beginning.
In the years since debut, ENHYPEN achieved international commercial success that few groups reach. The group charted on the Billboard Artist 100, Billboard 200 and Hot 100, and accumulated streaming milestones across Spotify, iTunes and YouTube. ENHYPEN also became the fastest K-pop act to reach one billion streams on Spotify.
Where Things Stand for ENHYPEN as Six
The announcement came roughly two months after ENHYPEN released their seventh EP, The Sin: Vanish, in January with the lead single “Knife.” The group had also concluded their Walk the Line world tour in late 2025 after making their Coachella debut earlier that year.
BELIFT LAB did not announce specific plans for upcoming releases or tours at the time of the statement. In a February interview with Teen Vogue member Sunghoon said the group was preparing for “an upcoming tour and also other activities that are lying ahead of us.” No official announcements had been made by BELIFT LAB at the time of that interview.
Sunghoon’s comment suggests the group’s schedule is moving forward, but exactly what those plans look like as a six-member act remains unknown. ENGENE waiting on concrete tour or comeback details will need to watch ENHYPEN’s official channels for updates from the label.
Production of this article included the use of AI. It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.
