Fans of ENHYPEN have begun organized protests after news emerged that member Heeseung would stop being a part of the group. Supporters have launched petitions, fundraising campaigns, and protest trucks in an effort to push for his return.
On March 10, the group’s agency Belift Lab announced that Heeseung would no longer take part in activities as part of ENHYPEN. The label stated that discussions had been held with the members regarding the group’s direction and future plans.
According to the agency, Heeseung expressed a clear musical direction he wished to pursue individually, and the company chose to respect that decision. Belift Lab added that he would remain signed under the label and continue his career as a solo artist.
Shortly after the announcement, Heeseung addressed fans through the fan community platform Weverse, confirming his departure from the group. The message however, quickly sparked widespread reactions among fans, many of whom expressed shock and confusion over the development.
Online discussions intensified as some fans compared the statements released by the agency and the idol. While the company described the decision as the result of “long and careful consideration,” Heeseung’s message referenced following a direction suggested by the company. The difference in wording led some fans to question whether the departure had been entirely voluntary, prompting further debate across social media platforms.
As reactions grew, fans began organizing efforts aimed at reversing the decision. By March 11, international fans of ENHYPEN had gathered more than 513,000 signatures on a petition hosted on Change.org within a day. The petition called for Heeseung to be allowed to pursue solo projects while remaining a member of ENHYPEN.
Supporters also took visible steps offline. Numerous protest trucks displaying messages demanding the idol’s return were reportedly seen parked in front of the HYBE headquarters. The trucks carried slogans advocating for the group to remain complete while supporting Heeseung’s artistic ambitions.
At the same time, ENHYPEN’s fans known collectively as ENGENEs continued posting appeals addressed to Belift Lab. Several phrases began trending across social media, including “BRING HEESEUNG BACK,” “ENHYPEN IS 7,” and “HEESEUNG.”
Hashtags such as #ENHYPENIS7 and #ENHYPENHOME also circulated widely as fans shared messages urging the agency to reconsider the decision. One comment shared online read:
“YES, LET’S BRING HIM BACK!!! @BELIFTLAB We hope for opportunities for LEE HEESEUNG to explore solo activities while continuing as a member of ENHYPEN. HEESEUNG WITH ENHYPEN.”
Fans flooded social media demanding the idol’s return to the group.
ENGENEs continued expressing their demands while urging each other to be loudly asking for the idol’s reunion with the group.
Belift Lab confirms Heeseung’s solo path as ENHYPEN prepares to continue as six-member act
In a statement released on March 10, Belift Lab confirmed through the fan platform Weverse, that Heeseung would remain under the agency but stop promoting with ENHYPEN. The company said the singer would pursue solo activities while the group continues upcoming schedules as a six-member act with members Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-ki. They added that the decision was made after careful consideration while keeping the future of both the artist and the group in mind.
Following the announcement, Heeseung shared a handwritten letter addressing fans. He described the past six years with ENHYPEN as meaningful and thanked the members and fans, for supporting him throughout that time. The singer also explained that he had been working on personal projects and after long discussions, decided to follow the direction suggested by the company.
Later the same day, the remaining members of ENHYPEN also shared a message with fans through social media platform X. In the statement, the group acknowledged that many fans were likely shocked by the announcement. The members described the time they had spent together as deeply meaningful and expressed respect for Heeseung’s decision and his new beginning.
They stated that they would continue working to grow as a group and hoped to ease fans’ concerns by delivering positive moments through their future activities. The group concluded the message by thanking their fans for their constant support and expressing their commitment to becoming a stronger ENHYPEN while moving forward with their upcoming schedules.
The situation continues to generate discussion among fans online as they await further clarification from the agency regarding Heeseung’s future activities.
Edited by Adrija Chakraborty
