On March 10, 2026, BELIFT LAB — the HYBE subsidiary that manages ENHYPEN — announced that main vocalist Heeseung would be leaving the group to pursue a solo career. He will remain signed to BELIFT LAB as a solo artist and is preparing his first solo album. ENHYPEN will continue as a six-member group.
Here is what the agency’s announcement actually confirmed, and what remains unconfirmed.
What BELIFT LAB Announced
The agency’s statement said the decision followed extensive discussions with all members of the group about their individual visions and the team’s future direction. “Through in-depth discussions with each of the members about the future they envision and the direction of the team,” BELIFT LAB said, “it became clear that Heeseung has his own distinct musical vision and we have decided to respect it.”
The statement confirmed three things clearly:
- Heeseung is leaving ENHYPEN
- He will remain under BELIFT LAB as a solo artist and is preparing a solo album
- ENHYPEN will continue as a six-member group consisting of Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki
This is not a contract non-renewal. Heeseung is not leaving the label — he is transitioning from group member to solo artist within the same company.
What Heeseung Said
Later the same day, Heeseung posted a handwritten letter to fans on Weverse, addressing the news directly. He acknowledged that the announcement came as a surprise and expressed gratitude for his six years with the group.
“The six years I’ve spent have been filled with moments so overwhelming and precious that it’s hard to fully put them into words,” he wrote. “Thanks to the members who shared countless emotions with me and to all of you ENGENE who always filled every empty space with your support, I was able to take step after step toward a dream that once felt impossible to reach.”
Heeseung also referenced his work as a songwriter and composer — he contributed to tracks including “Highway 1009” — and said he had spent considerable time discussing how to share his solo projects with fans. He described following “the direction suggested by the company” so he could present “the best version” of himself.
Why Couldn’t He Do Both?
A common question in the days following the announcement was why Heeseung couldn’t pursue solo activities while remaining a member of ENHYPEN, as members of BTS, BLACKPINK, and SEVENTEEN have done.
BELIFT LAB addressed this directly when asked by Billboard: “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 agency has also noted that ENHYPEN’s year-round schedule makes it difficult for members to develop independent musical projects while maintaining full group commitments.
The Fan Response
The announcement generated an immediate and large-scale reaction from ENGENE, ENHYPEN’s fandom. Since March 10, fans have launched petitions that surpassed one million signatures, funded protest trucks outside HYBE’s Seoul headquarters, and generated tens of millions of posts across social media under hashtags including #ENHYPENIS7 and #BringBackHeeseung.
Some fans pointed to Heeseung’s use of the phrase “the direction suggested by the company” in his letter as suggesting the decision may not have been entirely his own. Neither BELIFT LAB nor Heeseung has publicly characterized the departure as involuntary. On March 15, BELIFT LAB reaffirmed its position: “Heeseung will not be returning to ENHYPEN. He has a clear artistic direction he wants to pursue, and we decided to respect that.”
Why This Moment Matters
Heeseung’s departure is the first lineup change ENHYPEN has experienced since their debut in November 2020, when the seven-member group was formed through the survival competition I-Land.
The announcement came shortly after one of the group’s most commercially successful periods. Their seventh EP, The Sin: Vanish, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in January 2026 — their sixth consecutive top-10 entry on the chart — and sold over two million copies in its first week. The group has been considered one of fourth-generation K-pop’s most prominent acts.
Going forward, Heeseung will remain with BELIFT LAB and prepare for a solo debut. ENHYPEN will continue as six members. No timeline has been confirmed for either.