Former ENHYPEN member Heeseung kickstarts solo career as 'Evan'
A new era has officially begun for former ENHYPEN member Lee Heeseung as he has now taken his first step as a solo artist under the name "Evan."
The South Korean singer debuted his new identity alongside a new Instagram account with the username @h_evva_n. For now, there is only one post on the page, which shows close-up shots of parts of his body, including his elbow, eyes, and wrist.
He also included a short video of him looking directly into the camera while wearing a simple white shirt and silver necklace.
In a statement by his agency, Belift Lab, the pictures are said to capture "the purest form of Evan—an artist at the very beginning of his identity, before any external definition is applied."
Heeseung also shared why he chose the English name Evan for his new career journey.
"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," he said, per Soompi.
Belift Lab first announced that Heeseung has left ENHYPEN in March, detailing that the decision was made after "much thought and consideration" concerning the group's future direction.
"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 and we have decided to respect it," the statement read.
"As such, Heeseung will be parting ways with ENHYPEN," it continued, saying that ENHYPEN will continue as a group of six members.
"We understand that this news is a lot to process and may be received with mixed reactions. Nevertheless, we hope you understand that this decision was made for the future of ENHYPEN and Heeseung."
On the K-Pop web platform WeVerse, Heeseung posted a handwritten letter to address fan concerns.
"The past six years have been filled with moments that are so overwhelming and precious that they’re hard to fully put into words. Thanks to the members with whom I shared countless emotions, and to ENGENE, who always filled the empty spaces, I was able to take step after step toward a dream that once felt impossible to reach," he wrote in Korean, as translated by Koreaboo.
"Those times will remain some of the most shining moments of my life that I will never forget. I want to be someone who never forgets those moments and continues to support ENHYPEN more than anyone else," he added. "My wish to return and greet you with a better version of myself is completely sincere."
ENHYPEN debuted in 2020 with Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon, and Ni-Ki. The group is known for their songs Bite Me, Sweet Venom, SHOUT OUT, Fatal Trouble, XO, and more.
