EVAN, formerly known as ENHYPEN’s Heeseung, has become the center of online discussion after comments he made about his interaction with Iroha took fans by surprise.
The conversation started after EVAN appeared in a dance video on TikTok with Iroha, a member of ILLIT. The pair performed “ICONIC BY MISTAKE,” a collaboration song with ILLIT, KATSEYE and LE SSERAFIM, Koreaboo reported.
While the dance video had already sparked debate among viewers, attention quickly turned to the messages EVAN then shared with fans. In those messages, he said that Iroha “sunbaenim” helped him during filming and said that more videos they recorded together would be released in the future.
The use of the word “sunbaenim” immediately became a topic of discussion. In Korean entertainment, the title is generally used to address someone who has debuted earlier or has more experience in the industry.
Since ENHYPEN debuted years before ILLIT, many fans were surprised to see EVAN use the honorific when referring to Iroha.
Fans discuss EVAN’s unexpected comment
Some fans viewed the comment negatively. They argued that the joke appeared to ignore EVAN’s past successes as a member of ENHYPEN and felt it downplayed the years he spent building his career with the group.
The discussion quickly spread on social media, where supporters and critics shared different interpretations of his words.
Others, however, believed the comment was clearly intended as humor. They pointed out that Iroha debuted after ENHYPEN and that EVAN was probably making a playful joke rather than seriously referring to her as his senior in the industry.
According to Kdrip, the debate also reignited conversations about EVAN’s history with ENHYPEN.
His direct messages to fans have sparked strong reactions, with some supporters expressing concern that references to his former group were being overlooked. Others felt the criticism was unnecessary and argued that fans were reading too deeply into a light-hearted interaction. Many fans found the situation funny rather than controversial.
The idea of Iroha, still considered one of the industry’s youngest and newest idols, being called a “sunbaenim” by someone previously associated with ENHYPEN made for an amusing contrast that quickly gained attention online.
