심선아
| 2026-01-16 08:00:04
Enhypen-interview
Enhypen opens new career phase with 'The Sin: Vanish'
By Shim Sun-ah
SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- K-pop boy group Enhypen is launching a new chapter of its five-year career with the release of its seventh EP on Friday, a project the group says is shaped by a distinctive narrative and a more polished musical approach.
Speaking during a media interview held two days before the release of "The Sin: Vanish," the members said the album's central appeal lies in its heightened sense of immersion.
Jungwon described the release as a "concept album" in which the storyline unfolds sequentially, from the opening track, "The Beginning of the Incident," to the closing song, "Beyond the Incident."
He said the group placed particular emphasis on storytelling, adding that actor Park Jung-min participated as a narrator to create a structure reminiscent of a mystery drama.
The EP further expands the cinematic universe the septet has explored in its previous film-style projects.
Jake said the group began work on the album as an extension of its "concept cinema" for the sixth EP, "Desire: Unleash," released last May. The film drew inspiration from the 2023 supernatural horror movie "Late Night with the Devil."
"Under the theme of 'escape,' every element -- from the songs and choreography to the photos and videos -- is organically connected," he said, calling it the album the group feels most confident about to date.
Member Ni-ki echoed the sentiment, saying it was the first album since the group's debut with which he was "completely satisfied."
The new EP marks the start of a new album series titled "The Sin," inspired by the theme of transgression. It follows the story of lovers who break a taboo and flee in a world where humans and vampires coexist.
The album comprises 11 tracks -- six songs, four narrations and one skit -- all built around the motif of escape, including the lead track, "Knife," which portrays the inner turmoil of the fugitive lovers. Musically, "Knife" delivers an intense, chilling atmosphere. The hip-hop track combines a heavy, punchy beat and tight trap rhythms with sharp synthesizer sounds, heightening the sense of tension.
Enhypen's signature "vampire" concept has also evolved. Sunghoon said that while earlier albums depicted classic vampires through royal-inspired costumes, the group sought a more contemporary interpretation this time.
To effectively convey the vampire narrative to the public, the group sought to enhance immersion from the promotional stage, which included launching a website for a fictional newspaper titled "Vampire Now." The site provides updates on the lovers on the run and details regarding the lives of vampires within the album's universe.
"Our goal was to create a seamless flow where the concept, music video, songs and performances all work together in synergy," Jay said.
After clinching three grand prizes last year at domestic year-end music awards, including Fans' Choice of the Year at the MAMA Awards, Enhypen described the return as the beginning of a second chapter in its career.
"Winning those awards didn't change our mindset drastically, but it made us more grateful for our journey so far," Heeseung said. "Our goal now is to show a more mature and seasoned side that fits our experience."
Jay said the achievement marked the conclusion of a long-term goal set before the group's debut.
"From our pre-debut through 2025, our goal was to conclude Chapter 1 by winning a grand prize, and I'm happy we accomplished that," he said. "This new album marks the dazzling beginning of Chapter 2, showing how much we've grown."
The members also outlined concrete ambitions for the next phase of their career.
"We're aiming for No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart," Jake said.
Jungwon added, "A specific goal for this promotion is to enter the Billboard Hot 100, which we haven't done yet."
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