Despite being a rookie K-pop boy group, ENHYPEN have proven themselves repeatedly, winning numerous awards and the hearts of millions of fans. Countless music enthusiasts enjoy tuning in to their new releases and watching their fancams, and maybe you will too after reading this! How did these seven young members achieve this recognition and why should you be interested in them?
ENHYPEN started out as 23 trainees eager to become idols, participating in a survival show called I-LAND, under HYBE Co. This show ultimately narrowed down these 23 young men to only seven winners, who went on to form the beloved boy group we know today. The other members were eliminated and sent home when they didn’t demonstrate satisfactory results on the show.
After many exhausting dance challenges and hardships (part of the training process), the seven lucky winners were selected at the end of the show by global audience votes. Their stage names are Ni-ki, Heeseung, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jay, and Jungwon. The group was given a vampire concept by management, where each member is portrayed as vampire-like and has their own distinctive superpower. This is a dominant motif in their music videos, with blood, fangs, and gothic themes. Their first album, Border: Day One, marked their promising debut on November 30, 2020. The lead track, “Given Taken,” won the Circle Chart Music Award for New Artist of the Year (Physical) in 2020, and it currently has over 200 million streams on Spotify. The song is a message to fans expressing gratitude for voting for them and allowing them to debut.
In 2021, ENHYPEN gained more recognition in Korea when they released Border: Carnival, which featured impressive tracks such as “FEVER” and “Drunk-Dazed.” On July 6 of the same year, they made their debut in the Japanese market with their album EP Border: Hakanai appealing to a more global audience. The lead track, “Drunk-Dazed,” won multiple awards, including Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) for Best New Male Artist (2021) and Circle Chart Music Awards for Hot Performance of the Year (2022)
In 2022, ENHYPEN saw vast development. They released their first studio album, Dimension: Dilemma, which featured successful songs like “Tamed-Dashed” and “Go Big or Go Home.” “Tamed-Dashed” secured its second win at Show Champion and third win at Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) Music Bank. In 2023, ENHYPEN especially embraced their dark, vampire concept in their album Dark Blood. The catchy lead track, “Bite Me,” finally earned them the international attention they deserved. It went viral on multiple social media platforms, including TikTok. It also amassed over 331 million Spotify streams in around two years. The song details the seven princes—the seven members—needing to be bitten in order to activate their inner powers and cure their sickness.
In 2024, Romance: Untold marked ENHYPEN’s biggest milestone in their career yet. Outselling all of their previous albums and topping the Spotify charts at #2 on the top 100, it sold nearly two million copies on the day of its release. Its top track, “XO (Only If You Say Yes),” garnered much attention and won its first award, a trophy from KBS Music Bank. The album is about the members trying to win the love of the same girl, while all being friends. Their earlier albums released in 2024, Orange Blood and Memorabilia, also received much recognition, featuring collaborations with artists like Bella Poarch and Ava Max.
As we enter 2025, ENHYPEN is set to release multiple new albums, as revealed by one of the members in a recent video. Not only that, but they will soon release an anime based on their vampire lore on Crunchyroll. This goes to show their range in music and storytelling.
Beyond their music, the members have their fair share of success as brand representatives. They were appointed as brand ambassadors for the luxury fashion brand Prada in June, with their collaboration being shown by their appearance at the Spring/Summer 2025 Womenswear Show. In October 2023, they became the first-ever global ambassadors for Dr.Jart+, a leading Korean skincare brand. Earlier, in April 2024, ENHYPEN members Jungwon, Jake, and Ni-ki attended the opening of Gentle Monster’s flagship store in Aoyama, Tokyo, a collaboration between the group and Gentle Monster, a brand that markets eyewear and jewelry. Jake and Sunghoon were appointed “Friends of the House” for Tiffany and Co. Additionally, all the members were chosen as ambassadors for Seoul Fashion Week in September 2023, a prestigious event in fashion. It goes without saying that the group has a large international presence, representing these major brands.
ENHYPEN continues to entertain audiences with their captivating music and dancing skills. They still hold the record for the fastest male K-pop group to reach 4 billion streams, surpassing popular groups like BTS and Tomorrow by Together (TXT). ENHYPEN’s unique concepts keep people interested in their music while conveying a captivating storyline, which is exactly why you should look into them! Many students, especially those in MSE, can bond with each other over ENHYPEN.