Tackling new sounds as naturally as breathing, our Evening’s Newest Étoiles continue to serve various concepts, both visually and musically, proving they can fearlessly pull them off. Since their debut in September 2023, trailblazing K-pop septet EVNNE have remained the target of the public’s desires and the rising stars of K-pop. Equipped with ear-catching soundscapes and charming visuals, KEITA, PARK HANBIN, LEE JEONGHYEON, YOO SEUNGEON, JI YUNSEO, MUN JUNGHYUN, and PARK JIHOO have made it their aim to show off their versatility and powerful stage presence.
EVNNE adopted a fiery rascal concept with their debut album Target: ME and attained emotional maturity in their second mini-album Un: SEEN. Now, they turn over a new leaf as they say goodbye to their darker nature and hello to the dreams of their youth. Six months following the latter project, EVNNE released their third mini-album RIDE or DIE — a summer album embodying the group’s determination to keep moving towards their goals.
Shortly after coming back from their first North American tour, EVNNE took the time to answer EnVi’s questions over email where we discussed their latest EP, how they envision EVNNE, and the most important element to remember as rising artists in the music industry.
Riding With EVNNE
What kind of music would their fans, ENNVE, like? An endearing yet serious question the group asked themselves as they prepared for their summer comeback. RIDE or DIE shows off a completely new side of EVNNE as they not only visually personify the fresh feeling of summer and recess, but also incorporate this youthful persona into their lyricism and sound. RIDE or DIE acts as an idiom that expresses the trust and loyalty of staying together until the end. Within that phrase, EVNNE embed their love, youth, and dreams to create a refreshing body of work prepped to beat the summer heat.
From cute and easy-listening tracks such as “I <3 U (I love U)” to addicting soundscapes like “XO,” EVNNE show off their charm and versatility through their energizing record. The album’s title track “Badder Love” conveys a story of running forward to goals such as love, friendship, and dreams. For EVNNE’s main dancer HANBIN, among all the title tracks they’ve released so far, “Badder Love” represents who he is the best. “Its refreshing sound conveys my bright side, and I can share my charms through the song’s sound and choreography!”
Main vocalist SEUNGEON stated how the track showcases EVNNE’s endless possibilities when it comes to adopting diverse musical personas. “Compared to the powerful side shown in our previous albums, ‘Badder Love’ presents our refreshing, boyish charm, which I believe all members executed greatly. It proves that EVNNE can do both powerful and refreshing performances well,” he shared. Following SEUNGEON’s personal account on their title track, YUNSEO believed it to carry multiple meanings since it’s the group’s first time working on a new style of music. YUNSEO further explained the group’s ability to include their hopes and dreams on a deeper level in preparation for the album and the title track.
On the topic of adopting a new genre, EVNNE were ecstatic to have the opportunity to employ a new concept and showcase a refreshing charm. “We had a high anticipation as we made several first attempts including the first refreshing concept and first English track,” JEONGHYEON wrote, expressing the groups restlessness to boast EVNNE’s brand-new theme, “We came back with a whole new side with this album, so we were very eager to start promotions in hopes of our fans’ attention and support for this album!”
Matching JEONGHYEON’s euphoric feelings on EVNNE’s new endeavor, YUNSEO was very content to learn about the album’s concept, thinking it suited him perfectly. “When you listen to or watch the music video for ‘Badder Love,’ you’ll notice a sentimental vibe within the general refreshing vibe. I thought that I expressed such a subtle atmosphere very well, so I wanted to share this album with our fans as soon as possible,” he said. Similar to YUNSEO, JIHOO thought the concept of the album and the title track fit well with him. “I had a lot of fun preparing for this album…and I was very happy when we filmed the music video as if we were just hanging out together at the beach!”
EVNNE expressed their satisfaction with how the song’s youthful concept translated into the title track’s accompanying music video. Capturing refreshing scenes of EVNNE running toward their dreams or hanging out together by the beach genuinely represented the theme of youth. Looking back to their music video shooting days, it’d be appropriate to say that EVNNE enjoyed their summer time to the fullest. While filming in Jeju Island, the members spent their time basking in the island’s amazing weather and new experiences. HANBIN recalled picking up small crabs and clams with members during breaks, while JEONGHYEON remembered the bright sun, the fun beach hangouts shared amongst the members in-between breaks, and creating fun memories with EVNNE during the shoot.
“I remember taking boxing lessons for the music video!” said SEUNGEON. “There are scenes of us boxing in the music video, and I think those came out better than expected so I was proud of us taking lessons and practicing diligently.” Piggybacking off SEUNGEON’s experience, JUNGHYUN recounted how due to the major difference between their previous title tracks, the making of “Badder Love” allowed for personal growth and called for diligent efforts. “We took extra care in recording and practicing the choreography. Especially for facial expressions, we put a lot of thought into showcasing our boyish charm!” he wrote.
Behind the Love
In the process of approaching their newfound concept and sound, EVNNE prepared diligently and practiced earnestly to properly convey their album’s refreshing adolescence and spirited impression. As the group made a comeback, they hoped that the nickname “refreshing idol” could follow EVNNE. Members paid close attention to their facial expressions and intricate details during their performances, something JIHOO contributed to with his creation of the track’s cute hand dance moves.
“For this album, I participated in the lyrics of ‘XO’ and ‘2X,’” KEITA said. “These songs convey very different atmospheres; ‘XO’ is an exciting and powerful song, and ‘2X’ has a calmer sound. I tried my best to come up with the lyrics that capture each song’s topic well.” RIDE or DIE contains tracks embracing new vibes, ones that stray away from their edgier and experimental environment and introduce a softer and toned-down style. “We tried different approaches when preparing for this album. To fit the album’s refreshing concept, we sought various ways to best showcase EVNNE’s fresh side in terms of stage manner, facial expressions, and tones,” HANBIN explained, further diving into their new attempts that ultimately led him to consider more about stage manners.
With three mini-albums under their belt, EVNNE have established a colorful arrangement of sounds and writing. As a group full of multi-talented artists with diverse tastes, these personal preferences come through when it comes to choosing their favorite EVNNE track so far. KEITA chose the self-composed track, “Festa.” “I started working on it with the idea of expressing my emotions from meeting our fans during fan-meeting events. In addition, I can see how much fun our members and our ENNVE have whenever we perform this song, so this song means a lot to me.” Holding a lot of affection for their recent EP, YUNSEO chose RIDE or DIE’s entire tracklist. “I think all songs included in RIDE or DIE feel special to me. Working on this album, I think I have really poured my passion and hopes into it, probably the most I have ever done in my life.”
EVNNE Are Heading To The Bigger Universe
As they near their one year anniversary on September 19, EVNNE reflect on their hardships and lessons learned throughout their music career so far. KEITA believes accentuating one’s strength to be an important fundamental for fellow rising artists to keep in mind. “I believe you can grow as an artist and put on a great performance when you understand your strengths and learn how to highlight such strengths.” Very much like KEITA’s advice, JEONGHYEON believes it’s essential to have the attitude to make efforts and learn from others. “Without effort, you can never grow as an artist, so it is very important to work on yourself by practicing whenever you can,” he said. “Also, there are many elements you can learn from watching performances of senior, junior, and colleague artists. I found it very helpful to monitor and find things to learn from other artists!” YUNSEO elaborated further by emphasizing the significance of continuously understanding yourself and determining who you are throughout it all. “It is essential to not only practice regularly to grow in terms of music and performance, but also express yourself in various ways like stage manners, composition, lyric-writing, and fashion.”
In the face of hardships, the members manage their moments of doubt and anxiety in their own ways. “I make sure to practice regularly, and do image training with dedicated thoughts like, ‘I’ll entertain the audience on the stage with my performance!’” KEITA noted. JIHOO provided a similar response, writing down that the only way to get over the nervousness and pressure is to practice more diligently. “I tend to work on myself, grow my abilities and self-confidence, and try to forget about feeling nervous!”
SEUNGEON admitted to feeling nervous quite often, and nothing works more perfectly to calm him down than relying on members. “They’re more relaxed and calm than me, so I can gain strength from their characteristics and forget about feeling nervous!” JEONGHYEON wrapped up with an endearing response in regards to battling out the tough times, and that’s frequently thinking about their fans, ENNVE. “From our debut, we were able to overcome any hardships with their support. Thanks to our fans who always stay by our side, we could move forward and achieve emotional moments like winning first place on music shows. With our appreciation for ENNVE, who always stays with us, we can get over any difficulties.”
XO, EVNNE
Throughout the year, EVNNE have been titled Billboard’s K-Pop Rookie of the Month and received their first music show wins on “Music Bank” and “Show Champion,” demonstrating their impact and influence in the K-pop industry. After kicking off their first North American tour, “Ride With EVNNE,” in Montreal on August 7, EVNNE wrapped up performances with ENNVE in numerous locations, hitting cities such as Chicago, New York, Atlanta, San Juan, Fort Worth, Mexico City, and Los Angeles. Despite speaking and singing in another language, EVNNE and ENNVE become one through music, demonstrating their love and support for one another in full display for everyone to see. “We’re always grateful to receive immense love and support for us and our music whenever we see our fans from various places around the world and across social media,” YUNSEO confessed, grateful to witness ENNVE across the globe listening and loving EVNNE throughout their journey. “In order to repay their love, we’ll work hard and try our best to visit our international fans and come back more often with fresh, good music!”
As our interview came to its last question, EnVi inquired how EVNNE envision themselves as a group and as artists. On a personal note, JIHOO hopes to become an artist who produces his own music and shares it with many ENNVE. JUNGHYUN wishes to grow as an artist who can enjoy the stage even more, share that joy with the audience, and have fun with them. “I feel my growth each time I get on the stage, but I still have a long way to go!” he expressed. SEUNGEON traces it all back to the group’s primary goal since debut. “We have been calling ourselves the ‘all-rounder group,’ and I think we were able to really prove ourselves as all-rounders by showcasing a new side through RIDE or DIE,” he said. “We hope to continue pulling off better music and more innovative concepts, making the listeners think that EVNNE is a truly versatile group.”
KEITA concluded on a fulfilling note for both EVNNE and ENNVE. “We’ve been saying this since our debut, and our goal remains the same; to become a group that can prove how versatile EVNNE is, and all the members are. We’re working hard to share various music and prove our improvements for each release!”
Listen to EVNNE’s third mini-album, RIDE or DIE, on Spotify and Apple Music.
Ride alongside EVNNE and make sure to follow their social media accounts on X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Want more exclusive interviews? Check out our recent conversation with trailblazing Filipino boy band GBYO here!
