SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Former ENHYPEN member Heeseung has announced the beginning of his solo career under the name EVAN, unveiling a new visual identity and social media presence Wednesday.
The 24-year-old K-pop singer, who departed the now six-member group in March, introduced his solo Instagram account featuring a series of close-up images and a brief video that showcases a minimalist aesthetic. The photos and video present EVAN with minimal makeup and simple styling, which a press release described as representing the artist in his “most authentic form.”
Label BELIFT LAB stated that the new visuals capture “the purest form of EVAN — an artist at the very beginning of his identity, before any external definition is applied.” According to the release, the new stage name reflects the singer’s artistic integrity and personal narrative.
“This is a name I’ve cherished since childhood, one that holds many of my most precious memories,” EVAN said in the statement. “Through this name, I hope to reach fans with music that fully expresses my most honest and natural self.”
Heeseung debuted with ENHYPEN in 2020, performing alongside Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon and Ni-ki. In addition to his vocals on three studio albums and seven EPs, he contributed as a songwriter and producer on tracks including “Highway 1009” and “Dial Tragedy.”
Upon his departure, BELIFT LAB said in a statement, “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.”
Heeseung also addressed ENHYPEN’s fans, known as ENGENE, writing, “The past six years have been filled with moments that are difficult to put into words — moments that were overwhelmingly meaningful and incredibly precious to me. Sharing so many emotions with the members, and having ENGENEs always there to support us, helped me move closer, step by step, to a dream that once felt out of reach. I truly believe none of this would have been possible without you. Those memories will remain some of the most shining and unforgettable moments of my life. I will never forget them, and I want to continue supporting ENHYPEN as someone who will always cheer them on.”
As of press time, there was no additional information regarding the timing of EVAN’s solo musical debut.