On March 10, BELIFT LAB, a subsidiary of HYBE Labels, unexpectedly announced that Heeseung would be leaving ENHYPEN after six years with the group. According to the agency, the decision was made because Heeseung has a different musical vision from the group’s management, and both parties agreed to “pursue separate paths”. ENHYPEN will continue to promote itself as a six-member group, while Heeseung will begin a solo career under BELIFT LAB.
The sudden announcement left fans shocked, confused and deeply saddened. Even casual K-pop followers were surprised because ENHYPEN actively promoted and achieved strong success, without any prior indication of a possible lineup change. Furthermore, in the K-pop industry it is quite common for idols to release solo albums while remaining active in their groups. Therefore, many have wondered why Heeseung had to leave the group to pursue a solo career. The timing also raised concerns, given that his departure comes in the sixth year of his contract, just a year before he could have simply chosen whether or not to renew his contract and continue his activities independently.
Across social media platforms, netizens began to speculate whether the reason for Heeseung’s departure was really just a difference in musical direction or whether there were other underlying issues. Some Chinese netizens on the Douban platform even linked the situation to a previous exclusive report from MHN Sports, suggesting that Heeseung might be the idol mentioned in that article.
On February 19, MHN Sports reported that a well-known male K-pop idol named “A” he had a son born in the second half of 2022 with an ex-girlfriend. According to the report, the child was born out of wedlock and the idol had acknowledged the biological relationship while providing financial support. However, legal procedures such as officially registering the father-child relationship or formal custody and maintenance agreements were reportedly still unclear.
A family law attorney quoted in the report explained that financial support alone cannot replace legal recognition of paternity, as this legal status directly affects the child’s rights, including inheritance, guardianship and medical decision-making. Some experts have also warned that if the legal relationship with the child remains unresolved and the person subsequently enters into a new marriage, this could potentially lead to disputes in the future.
At the time the article was published, many people tried to guess the identity of the idol it was referring to “A,” but no confirmed information has emerged. Therefore, when Heeseung suddenly left ENHYPEN without warning, some Chinese netizens began to connect him to the case. They speculated that BELIFT LAB may have allowed him to leave the group early to protect ENHYPEN from potential controversy. However, these claims remain pure speculation without any evidence. Many fans strongly disagreed with the rumors and urged others not to spread unfounded assumptions about the reason for Heeseung’s departure.
ENHYPEN is a South Korean boy group formed through the 2020 survival show I-EARTH. The group originally consisted of seven members: Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-ki. They quickly became one of the hottest fourth-generation K-pop groups under HYBE.
The group debuted in November 2020 with the mini album BORDER: DAY ONE and its title track Given-Taken. From the beginning, ENHYPEN attracted attention for its mysterious concept centered on the themes of vampires and youth coming-of-age stories. Over the years, they have achieved significant success with albums such as BORDER: CARNIVAL, DIMENSION: DILEMMA, MANIFESTO: DAY 1 and DARK BLOOD, expanding their global influence through international touring and a rapidly growing fan base known as ENGENE.
Within the group, Heeseung has long been considered one of ENHYPEN’s core members in terms of musicianship. Before joining I-EARTHthe 2001 born idol had already trained with HYBE for several years and was known for his stable voice, strong technique and confident stage presence.
After debuting with ENHYPEN, he continued to serve as the group’s lead vocalist, helping to shape the group’s musical identity with his warm and emotional voice. The other members often called him the “ace” of the group for his balanced skills in singing, dancing and performing. Beyond music, Heeseung has also earned fans’ affection for his calm personality, caring attitude and mature image. For many supporters, his departure therefore represents a significant loss for ENHYPEN.
Sources: K14
