“Enhypen Is Six Members Now”: Jake And Jungwon Address Fans About New Lineup
It’s been four months since former ENHYPEN member Heeseung’s infamous and sudden exit. During this time, fans of the popular K-pop group have had much difficulty accepting his departure, even after he redebuted as a soloist earlier this month. It is standard practice for idol groups and their management to ignore fan backlash to events like this as long as they don’t put the members in immediate danger. However, in the last week, not one but two ENHYPEN members have spoken up about the new lineup, and made the message crystal clear: ENHYPEN is six.
What ENHYPEN Said About The Six-Member Group
Jungwon’s 18-minute Weverse Live came on July 8, hours after ENHYPEN performed in Lima, Peru, as part of their Blood Saga World Tour. The 22-year old group leader explained that the situation could no longer go unaddressed. “Since we haven’t spoken firmly about it until now, some felt that we haven’t properly addressed it, and have been talking a lot about the number of members. While I can understand those who loved ENHYPEN back then, ENHYPEN is six members. Yes, ENHYPEN is six members,” he said, per Koreaboo’s translation of the broadcast.
He addressed fan chants specifically, acknowledging that some ENGENEs had continued chanting for seven members at concerts and that the group had not corrected this definitively until now. “honestly, it disrupts our performances a lot. Yes, really, a lot.”
He then drew a firm line, saying that phrases like “ENHYPEN is 7” (a trending hashtag around the time EVAN left), is "telling fans to fight amongst themselves, which nobody wants including the company and the six members.
"So, from now on, I am going to consider those who start disputes about this not to be fans." He closed by confirming he was speaking on behalf of all six members.
The group’s oldest member Jay had already talked about this in an April livestream, asking fans not to bring up the 6/7 lineups to the other members, especially on their birthdays. On July 12, on stage during their show in Mexico City, he addressed the elephant in the room once again, saying in Spanish, “Nosotros somos seis,” or “We are six”.
This Is A Crucial Time For ENHYPEN
Heeseung’s departure in March was announced by Belift Lab as a mutual decision citing differences in musical direction. Fans interpreted his departure as suspicious, especially since it came two months after ENHYPEN’s seventh mini-album The Sin: Vanish debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 1.65 million copies on its first day.
Within 24 hours of the departure announcement, protest trucks from fans around the world were parked outside HYBE’s Seoul headquarters carrying messages demanding that Belift Lab allow Heeseung to carry on solo activities while being part of the group. Singapore fans sent their own truck with an LED display reading “We stand by you, ENHYPEN is always 7. Love, Singapore ENGENEs.” A now-unavailable Change.org petition surpassed 2 million signatures from 194 countries. This author, along with multiple other journalists, received a steady stream of fan emails demanding an enquiry into Belift for months, including after Heeseung’s solo debut.
Belift Lab reaffirmed on March 15 that despite protests, Heeseung would not be returning.
In a Billboard interview in May, the members addressed the situation collectively for the first time. "Honestly, we’re all working hard with only ENGENEs in mind," Sunghoon said. "Let's make even more memories together." Jake added: "Our next project is crazy, it's another level. 2026 is going to be a very big year for us."
Since his departure, ENHYPEN have continued promoting and touring as six. The Blood Saga World Tour kicked off in São Paulo, Brazil on June 4.
Heeseung, now operating under the solo name EVAN, released his debut single "RIDE OR DIE" in June, and is scheduled to perform in August at the Grammy Museum’s Spotlight event in Los Angeles, just a week before ENHYPEN’s The Sin: Bliss, their first release as a six member group.
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