[SHOWCASE] Enhypen's journey to the top is just getting started

K-pop boy band Enhypen aims to follow in the footsteps of BTS and Seventeen, calling their recent Tokyo Dome performance "just the beginning." In their new EP "Orange Blood," the lead track takes on a brighter mood compared to previous albums.

Boy band Enhypen performs its new lead track ″Sweet Venom″ during a showcase held on Thursday at the Yes24 Live Hall music venue in eastern Seoul for its fifth EP ″Orange Blood.″ [NEWS1]

It was the fastest K-pop boy band to enter the Tokyo Dome and the fastest to sell a million albums, but Enhypen is still not satisfied. In fact, it’s “just the beginning” of its journey to become the next BTS or Seventeen, according to the HYBE-born boy band.

“The Tokyo Dome was where our greatest HYBE senior groups BTS and Seventeen had performed, which made the concert all the more meaningful for us,” Ni-Ki said on Thursday.

“We became the fastest K-pop boy band to take the Tokyo Dome, which we’re so grateful for, especially because [fan club] Engene sang along with us while holding their light sticks. But this isn’t the end. We will not be satisfied because this is just the beginning for the seven of us. We’ll keep on trying until we can stand where BTS and Seventeen stand now.”

Thursday’s showcase was held prior to the release of the boy band’s fifth EP “Orange Blood” on Friday at 2 p.m. “Orange Blood” comes as the boy band’s latest album since the first part of the “Blood” series, “Dark Blood,” was released last May.

Boy band Enhypen performs its new lead track ″Sweet Venom″ during a showcase held on Thursday at the Yes24 Live Hall music venue in eastern Seoul for its fifth EP ″Orange Blood.″ [NEWS1]

Boy band Enhypen performs its new lead track ″Sweet Venom″ during a showcase held on Thursday at the Yes24 Live Hall music venue in eastern Seoul for its fifth EP ″Orange Blood.″ [NEWS1]

The album takes a slight turn from the usual dark, and somewhat even eerie, mood that the band had been best known for in its past albums, especially in the lead tracks the band had pushed for.

The band has been famed for singing the chaotic emotions of youth, portrayed best in popular tracks including “Drunk-Dazed” and “Fever” from EP “Border: Carnival” (2021), “Given-Taken” from EP “Border: Day 1” (2020) and its last lead track “Bite Me” from “Dark Blood.”

The newest lead track “Sweet Venom,” however, takes a more casually bright mood, like its 2022 dance track “Polaroid Love,” which had become popular among listeners for its easygoing vibe that was much more approachable than the other songs.

“I do think that ‘Sweet Venom’ is a style of song that Enhypen hadn’t tried in the past,” Jake said. “It really feels different and kind of strange in a way, but that novelty made me feel more excited for the outcome, and we recorded the song with anticipation. We also have an English version of the song, which is also a first for us, and that made me look forward to it even more.”

In fact, there are three versions of “Sweet Venom” within the seven-track album: Korean, English and a collaboration with famed U.S. singer Bella Poarch.

Members of boy band Enhypen pose for photos during a showcase held on Thursday at the Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul for its fifth EP ″Orange Blood.″ [KIM MYEONG-JI]

Members of boy band Enhypen pose for photos during a showcase held on Thursday at the Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul for its fifth EP ″Orange Blood.″ [KIM MYEONG-JI]

“All our songs have been great so far, but I really do think that the songs in this album are great enough to surpass all of them,” Jungwon said.

Enhypen has proven to be one of the fastest-growing bands in K-pop ever since its meteoric debut — a result of a partnership between K-pop agency HYBE and the biggest music cable channel Mnet. Enhypen debuted in November 2020 under Belift Lab, a subsidiary of HYBE. The band was formed in September of the same year through cable network Mnet and HYBE’s audition show “I-LAND” (2020).

Its previous album “Dark Blood” sold over 1.32 million copies within the first week of release and peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, a feat ever more remarkable coming from a boy band that only debuted three years ago.

The expectations being forced onto the group are not a burden but rather the energy that keeps them going, members say.

“There could be more expectations from people, but our goal is and will always be releasing an album that’s different from the others in the market,” Jake said. “We try in all ways possible, and that’s why there are so many different charms of Enhypen embedded within all our albums, not just ‘Orange Blood.’ It’s our goal to make the best album possible, and we hope you see that.”

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]