Lee Hee-seung Addresses ENHYPEN Departure, Citing Company and 'Loved Ones' in 'Teen Vogue' Interview

Former ENHYPEN member Lee Hee-seung (이희승), known as Evan, is slated to perform as a solo artist at the major North American K-pop festival KCON LA 2026, marking his first appearance at the event as a soloist. He previously attended KCON LA in 2024 as a member of ENHYPEN. Ahead of his solo debut, Lee Hee-seung recently told Teen Vogue that he isn't nervous, confident in his stage presence and clear about the kind of performer he wants to be. He also spoke, for the first time, about his decision to leave ENHYPEN in March of this year to pursue a solo career.

Lee Hee-seung spent six years with ENHYPEN, touring globally, releasing multiple albums, winning numerous major Asian music awards, and performing at Coachella in 2025. On March 10, 2026, Belift Lab announced that Lee Hee-seung had decided to leave ENHYPEN after “extensive and careful discussion.” He would remain with the agency to pursue solo activities, while ENHYPEN would continue as a six-member group.

The news shocked fans and fueled widespread speculation about his reasons for leaving, with theories ranging from plausible to outlandish circulating online. During his Teen Vogue interview, Lee Hee-seung was again asked when he first considered a solo career.

Lee Hee-seung admitted he had always been creating music, a fact many fans knew. He had previously considered sharing his work with fans, believing that “through this music, I can bring them great happiness.” To make this a reality, he discussed his ideas with his agency, ultimately leading to his decision to leave ENHYPEN and embark on a solo career.

However, when the interviewer pressed further, asking, “When did you first have the idea of making solo music?” Lee Hee-seung paused, smiled, and replied, “That’s hard to answer.” He then switched to Korean, responding thoughtfully, “Because it’s not just my story.”

Lee Hee-seung explained that while he wished he could share more, revealing the exact timing and details might involve many staff members at the company and “many people I love.” Therefore, he chose not to elaborate. In other words, the precise timing and underlying reasons for his decision to leave ENHYPEN remain undisclosed.

Since leaving the group, Lee Hee-seung has dedicated almost all his time to music production. He revealed that he spent nearly a month in the recording studio, practicing and preparing his work, even singing until his throat hurt, and “wrote a great many songs” in preparation for his solo activities.

The compositions accumulated during this period are featured in his debut mini-album, Death of Me. Lee Hee-seung not only participated in songwriting but also served as a co-producer, aiming to fully express his true thoughts and emotions through his music.

Notably, despite the album title Death of Me suggesting themes of mortality, Lee Hee-seung emphasized that the work is not about “the old self dying and a new self taking its place.” Instead, it aims to convey the concept of “I cannot face my own death.”

He stated that all he can do is keep moving forward. Discussing the core philosophy of the album, he bluntly said, “The opposite of death is life.”

For Lee Hee-seung, transitioning from an ENHYPEN member to a solo artist seems to symbolize entering another phase of life. However, he hopes the public won't prejudge his music as good simply because he was involved in its production. He wants fans to listen to the songs first and then decide if they like them.

Lee Hee-seung maintains a composed attitude toward the criticism and negative comments that have followed his departure from the group. He even suggests that instead of viewing all online feedback as malicious, it's better to consider it from a different perspective.

He remarked, “If they weren’t interested in me, if they didn’t care, would they really type a single word to comment on me?” Therefore, he feels grateful that people are willing to spend time paying attention to him.

Regarding those who completely misinterpret his intentions, Lee Hee-seung calmly stated, “If they really interpret my intentions in a completely different way, then let them do what they want.”

As fans prepare to officially meet Lee Hee-seung as a solo artist, he holds a simple expectation for how his music should be perceived: he hopes people will listen to his work and then decide for themselves whether they like it, rather than forming opinions based on his name or past identity.