EVAN Opens Up About Leaving ENHYPEN With ‘DEATH OF ME’

EVAN Opens Up About Leaving ENHYPEN as He Begins New Chapter With ‘DEATH OF ME’

Former ENHYPEN member EVAN says his new mission as a solo artist is to give listeners hope through music as he steps into a new chapter with his first mini-album, DEATH OF ME.

EVAN, formerly known as Heeseung, spoke about his ambitions as a solo artist during a media showcase for DEATH OF ME at Kyung Hee University’s Grand Peace Hall in Seoul on Monday, Sept. 7.

The showcase marks a major turning point for the 24-year-old singer, who left ENHYPEN earlier this year before adopting the stage name EVAN and pursuing his own musical direction. His first solo EP arrives at 6 p.m. KST Monday, followed by a 3,000-person debut showcase at 7 p.m. that will also stream through Weverse and HYBE LABELS’ YouTube channel.

EVAN Says Music Can Give People Hope

Asked what he hopes to achieve as a solo artist, EVAN made clear that his ambitions extend beyond simply performing on bigger stages.

His immediate goal, he said, is to reach larger audiences and perform in more places. But greater exposure is ultimately a way for listeners to discover the stories and messages behind his music.

“Through music, I want to give people hope,” EVAN said at the showcase, according to News1.

He added that he wants his songs to offer listeners strength when they encounter difficult or exhausting moments in their lives, describing that purpose as an important mission for him as an artist.

That message is closely connected to DEATH OF ME, an album centered on confronting complicated emotions and finding the determination to move forward.

BELIFT LAB previously described the record as an expression of EVAN’s “honest inner self” and his determination for the future, noting that he participated in the album’s overall production.

EVAN told reporters Monday that the eight-track project brings together different sides of himself and spans multiple genres.

Why EVAN Chose a Solo Path After ENHYPEN

The release carries additional significance because it represents EVAN’s first full project since leaving ENHYPEN.

At Monday’s media showcase, he addressed that transition, saying the decision came after considerable thought about what kind of music he wanted to make and how he wanted to present himself as an artist. He described DEATH OF ME as a new starting point in that journey.

EVAN has also spoken more extensively about the transition in recent interviews, describing his solo career as an opportunity to develop his own musical identity rather than simply continue what he had done before.

That distinction is important.

Rather than positioning his solo career merely as life “after ENHYPEN,” EVAN is attempting to establish a separate artistic identity — including a new name, a greater role in creating his music and a sound built around his own experiences.

DEATH OF ME is the clearest statement of that identity so far. DEATH OF ME ultimately frames itself around survival and moving forward, despite its title. The title track carries a weighty pop-R&B sound and showcases EVAN’s determination as he stands at a new starting point. EVAN wrote and composed the song, centering it on his refusal to lose himself and his resolve to continue forward despite obstacles.

That theme has taken on additional meaning following EVAN’s recent revelation that he survived malignant lymphoma as a child.

In an interview,  EVAN disclosed that he was diagnosed in elementary school and underwent treatment after experiencing breathing problems. He later connected those experiences of hardship and recovery to the resilience expressed in his new music.

For that reason, his stated goal of giving listeners hope is more than a generic message attached to a new release. It fits the personal story EVAN is beginning to tell through his solo work.

From Heeseung to EVAN

The challenge now is whether listeners will begin to see EVAN as an artist distinct from the name.

His connection to ENHYPEN will inevitably remain part of the conversation surrounding his early solo career. But DEATH OF ME offers his first substantial opportunity to define what comes next.

For EVAN, bigger stages are part of that ambition — but they are not the end goal.

The larger objective, based on his remarks Monday, is for those stages to lead listeners toward his music, his story. Also, it is a message capable of helping someone through a difficult moment.

DEATH OF ME will be released across music platforms at 6 p.m. KST on Sept. 7. His debut showcase begins at 7 p.m. KST at Kyung Hee University’s Grand Peace Hall and will also be streamed online.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Former ENHYPEN member Heeseung is beginning his solo chapter under the name EVAN.
• His first mini-album, DEATH OF ME, arrives Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. KST.
• EVAN says one of his central goals is to give people hope through his music.
• The eight-track project reflects EVAN’s attempt to establish his own musical identity.
• A 3,000-person debut showcase will take place in Seoul at 7 p.m. KST and stream online.

Minji Park

Park Minji is a K‑pop writer and journalist who delivers sharp insights and engaging stories on Korean music and culture for global readers.

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