Meet Evan, formerly Heeseung of ENHYPEN, as he rebrands for his solo career
Lee Hee-seung, the South Korean singer who spent six years as Heeseung — main vocalist, centre, and founding member of ENHYPEN — is launching a new chapter under a name he has carried since childhood. He departed from the group in 2026 and made his solo debut under the stage name Evan (에반). He said in a statement:
Evan is a name I've cherished since childhood, one that holds many of my most precious memories. Through this name, I hope to reach fans with music that fully expresses my most honest and natural self.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Heeseung's exit marks the first lineup change for ENHYPEN since the group debuted in 2020.
- In a statement to The Korea Herald on 15 March, Belift confirmed that Heeseung would not rejoin ENHYPEN.
- Evan made his solo debut on 22 June 2026 with the single "Ride or Die", accompanied by B-side "Overflow".
- On its first day of release, his debut EP Death of Me reportedly sold more than 460,000 copies.
- A fan petition calling for dual group and solo activity surpassed one million signatures within 24 hours of the departure announcement.
Profile summary
Field | Detail |
Full name | Lee Hee-seung (이희승) |
Stage names | Heeseung (former); Evan (current) |
Born | 15 October 2001, Uiwang, South Korea |
Age | 25 (as of November 2026) |
Nationality | South Korean |
Former group | ENHYPEN |
Label | Belift Lab (HYBE) |
Debut (group) | 30 November 2020 |
Debut (solo) | 22 June 2026 |
Who is Heeseung? Early life and ENHYPEN career
Born on 15 October 2001, Heeseung first gained recognition as a contestant on the survival show I-LAND, where his exceptional vocals, dance skills, and leadership made him stand out. He trained under Big Hit Entertainment for three years and one month before participating in I-LAND.
On 18 September 2020, he ranked fifth place by 1,137,323 global votes and became a member of the boy group ENHYPEN. He debuted as a member of ENHYPEN in November 2020 after appearing on the survival audition programme I-LAND, and the group launched its career with the release of Border: Day One, quickly building an international fanbase with subsequent releases and global touring.
Source: Original
His role in the group
He is best known as ENHYPEN's former main vocalist and oldest member. Fans credited him as the group's de facto main vocalist, taking on key parts in many songs and helping elevate the quality of ENHYPEN's live performances.
In his six years with the group, he contributed to three albums and seven extended plays. His departure came just 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.
Did Heeseung leave ENHYPEN? The departure explained
ENHYPEN will continue as a six-member group after founding member Heeseung's departure, his agency, BELIFT LAB, announced on 10 March 2026.
BELIFT LAB, HYBE's sub-label, said that after "much thought and consideration" about ENHYPEN's goals and discussions with each member "about the future they envision," it became clear that Heeseung has his own distinct musical vision, and they decided to respect it.
The company said the decision came after a long period of deliberation among the artist, the group, and management.
What Heeseung said about his departure
In a handwritten letter shared on the fan platform Weverse, Heeseung addressed ENGENE directly. As published by Rolling Stone Australia, he said:
There were a lot of things I wanted to show, but I also didn't want to put my greed ahead of the team.
In the letter, he explained that he had been working on personal music projects for some time, but did not want his individual ambitions to overshadow the group's goals while he was still promoting with ENHYPEN.
Speaking during a video call with fans on 24 March, his first official engagement since the announcement, he said:
I'm sure the news came as a surprise, but I'm fine.
He also expressed regret, saying:
I feel sorry for the members.
Is Heeseung coming back to ENHYPEN?
No. After a series of mounted campaigns, petitions, and billboards by fans urging Belift Lab to bring Heeseung back to the group, the entertainment label reaffirmed that "Heeseung will not return to Enhypen."
Following his exit, the group reorganised into a six-member lineup consisting of Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki.
Heeseung rebrands as Evan for his solo career
On 8 April 2026, Belift announced that Heeseung would change his stage name to "Evan", a name he has used since childhood. His new Instagram account hit one million followers in less than four hours after it went public. By late May 2026, the official Evan Instagram had reached over 5 million followers.
Debut single: Ride or Die
Evan made his solo debut on 22 June 2026 with the digital single "Ride or Die", accompanied by B-side "Overflow". "Ride or Die" is an alternative rock song with grunge and punk influences, while "Overflow" is a laid-back indie pop track.
Evan contributed lyrics to all eight eventual EP tracks and composed seven, with hands-on participation in the mini-album's overall production.
He then performed on Day 3 of KCON LA at Crypto.com Arena, performing "Overflow" and "Ride or Die" as well as a cover of "As It Was" by Harry Styles — his first major overseas stage as a solo artist.
Debut EP: Death of Me
Solo artist Evan released his first EP, Death of Me, on 7 September 2026. The project follows his solo digital single "Ride or Die", and he produced it with hands-on involvement from start to finish.
The EP includes eight tracks, including the lead single "Death of Me". The record features pop, R&B, alternative rock, UK garage, indie pop, and dream pop tracks.
On release, Evan held his debut solo showcase at Kyung Hee University's Grand Peace Hall in Seoul, with the singer, formerly Heeseung, performing live for the first time as a soloist.
The EP sold more than 456,000 copies in South Korea and peaked at number two on the Korean chart. It also charted at number 49 on the US Billboard 200.
Discography
Title | Type | Released | Label |
"Ride or Die" / "Overflow" | Digital single | 22 June 2026 | Belift Lab |
Death of Me | EP (debut) | 7 September 2026 | Belift Lab |
Latest news
Evan scored his first music show wins in September 2026, taking home trophies at The Show (SBS LIFE) on 15 September and Show Champion (MBC M) on 16 September with "Death of Me".
He is also set to appear on the Grammy Museum's 'Spotlight' series, marking a significant moment of international recognition for the newly launched solo artist. The Death of Me era has firmly established Evan as one of K-pop's most anticipated new solo acts of 2026, with global press and fans closely following his next move.
FAQs
- Did Heeseung leave ENHYPEN? Yes. On 10 March 2026, it was announced that Heeseung would be leaving ENHYPEN. He remains under the same label, Belift Lab.
- Is Heeseung coming back to ENHYPEN? No. In a statement to The Korea Herald on 15 March, Belift asserted that Heeseung would not rejoin ENHYPEN.
- How old is Heeseung? He was born on 15 October 2001, making him 25 years old as of November 2026.
- What is Heeseung's new name? He changed his stage name from Heeseung to Evan, a name he has used since childhood.
- What happened to Heeseung? Belift Lab said discussions made it clear that Heeseung had his own distinct musical vision, and they decided to respect it. He launched a solo career as Evan.
- When did Evan release his first album? Death of Me is Evan's debut EP. It was released on 7 September 2026 through Belift Lab.
- What genre is Evan's music? His debut single "Ride or Die" is an alternative rock song with grunge and punk influences, while "Overflow" is a laid-back indie pop track.
- What is ENHYPEN doing now? The group is continuing activities and is preparing its "Blood Saga" world tour — its first without Heeseung in the lineup.
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Source: Legit.ng
