ENHYPEN Label Says HEESEUNG’s Band Exit Is ‘Most Fulfilling Approach’

Countless ENHYPEN fans are still adjusting to the news that HEESEUNG has left the boy band, with many questioning the reasons behind his departure.

On Tuesday (March 10), label BELIFT LAB announced that the 24-year-old performer would be exiting the group in order to explore a career as a soloist while still signed to the company, something HEESEUNG himself confirmed in a handwritten letter to ENGENEs on Weverse. Still, listeners flooded social media with concern and queries as to why HEESEUNG couldn’t simply pursue independent opportunities while remaining as a member of ENHYPEN, pointing to the way members of BTS, BLACKPINK and other K-pop groups have successfully balanced both in recent years.

But when reached for comment the next day on the matter, BELIFT told Billboard in a statement, “We concluded that allowing HEESEUNG to focus fully on his career as a solo artist, rather than pursuing solo activities within the team, would be the most fulfilling approach for both ENHYPEN and HEESEUNG.”

The response also called back to BELIFT’s initial X post announcing the news of HEESEUNG’s departure. “As we discussed ENHYPEN’s future direction and next goals, the company and the members had in-depth conversations about the future each member envisions as well as the team’s direction,” it read. “Through those discussions, it became clear that HEESEUNG has his own distinct musical vision and we decided to respect it.”

Regardless of the reasoning, the choice to separate from ENHYPEN is certainly emotional for ENGENE. One fan posted Tuesday that their “heart is breaking into pieces” over the news, while another wrote, “just 2 days ago heeseung said that they’re planning to go back to europe so what happened?”

ENHYPEN debuted in 2020, with its lineup featuring HEESEUNG as well as JUNGWON, JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOON, SUNOO and NI-KI. In January, the group topped Billboard‘s Top Artists chart for the first time and debuted at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart with THE SIN : VANISH.

In his letter, HEESEUNG expressed gratitude for his time with the band, but explained that it’s time for a new chapter. “The past six years have been filled with moments that are difficult to put into words — moments that were overwhelmingly meaningful, and incredibly precious to me,” he wrote. “As many of you know, I have continued working on personal projects, dedicating a lot of time to them with the hope that one day I could share them with you. There were so many things I wanted to show you, but at the same time, I didn’t want my own ambitions to come before the team.”