ENHYPEN

The Evolution of ENHYPEN

ENHYPEN is a South Korean group formed in 2020 through the program I-Land. • Members: Originally 7 members, but Heeseung departed in March 2026. • Current Status: They are continuing as a 6-member group. • Latest Work: Release of the album The Sin and the start of the Blood Saga world tour

ENHYPEN (Korean: 엔하이; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean boy group formed by Belift Lab. Originally a joint venture between CJ ENM and Hybe Corporation, the group was established through the 2020 survival competition show I-Land. The group currently consists of six members: Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon, and Ni-ki. Originally a seven-member ensemble, Heeseung left the group in March 2026. They made their debut on November 30, 2020, with the extended play (EP) Border: Day One.

Formation and Early Years

In March 2019, Belift Lab was co-founded by South Korean entertainment agencies CJ ENM and Hybe Corporation, with plans to create a new band in 2020. Auditions began that same month in Seoul, the United States, Taiwan, and Japan, among other locations, searching for male trainees born between 1997 and 2008.

On May 8, 2020, the television channel Mnet announced the survival competition series I-Land as part of the joint venture between the two entertainment companies, following the "process of the birth of the next generation of K-pop artists." Enhypen was formed through the program, which featured 23 male trainees—some of whom originally auditioned for Belift, while others were transferred from Big Hit Music. The show aired weekly on Mnet from June 26, 2020, to September 18, 2020, and was broadcast internationally on the Hybe Labels YouTube channel.

The series was divided into two parts, with 12 main contestants advancing from Part 1 to Part 2. In the final episode of the show, seven members were selected from the nine finalists: six chosen by global rankings and one by the producers' choice. The final lineup—in order—consisted of Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Ni-ki, Heeseung, Sunghoon, and Sunoo, and was announced during the live final television broadcast.

Recent Developments (2026)

On January 16, 2026, Enhypen launched their new series The Sin with the release of their seventh EP titled The Sin: Vanish.

On March 10, 2026, Belift Lab announced that Heeseung would be departing from the group due to differences in musical direction. The company stated that he was preparing to release a solo album with them, while Enhypen would continue as a six-member group. His sudden departure shocked fans, who launched a Change.org petition asking the company to allow him to release a solo album while remaining a member of the group. On March 15, the company confirmed that he would not be returning to the group.

On March 30, the initial dates for the group’s fourth world tour, titled Blood Saga, were announced.


The Evolution of ENHYPEN — fantasysub