EVNNE: K-pop’s New, Brightly Burning Stars

The debut of K-pop boy band EVNNE (@evnne_official) has become one of the most electrifying industry moments of the year, where fan-favorite talent from the hit series Boys Planet joined forces to fulfill a dream that they set out to pursue on the survival program in the first place. And honestly, after getting to witness the birth of this new, inventive group, it’s hard to imagine a world where EVNNE wasn’t a part of each of these artists’ destinies to begin with. 

Having first amassed the attention of viewers around the world during their Boys Planet participation (with kindred fifth-gen icons, ZB1), Jellyfish Entertainment wisely scouted seven fan-favorite contestants very shortly after the popular series wrapped, reinvigorating the performers’ dreams as well as their faithful audience’s. In doing so, they’ve also seized the moment and conveyed that survival-group triumph isn’t exclusive to a program’s grand prize — because outside of any standard social media hype, EVNNE has already succeeded on their own terrain through the admirable mini-album, Target: ME by presenting an evolution of each member through pop, hip-hop, and R&B designs.

On the group’s extraordinary title track, EVNNE makes the idea of being deemed “TROUBLE” extremely rewarding, tapping into an unexpected Baltimore club formula (a blend of house music and breakbeat genres) that sets the group up for a charged, up-tempo masterpiece that’s appropriate for an influential concept group. Throughout a majority of the album’s tracks (including “Role Model,” “Pretty Thing,” and even “Your Text”) EVNNE’s shared sound nourishes their undeniable strengths in aforementioned hip-hop and R&B spaces, knowing when to execute accelerated verses – and when to shift gears to focus on vocal nuances. Though, even while staying true to a gripping,  quickly established sound, EVNNE balances their sub-genre curiosity with the retro-pop hit “JUKEBOX” or the soulful final track, “Even More,” rounding out a self-aware album while still opening the door for future expansions of their innovative artistry. 

Now, after getting the chance to join forces and create an unforgettable debut (with more than 250,000 albums sold so far) the seven-member group is taking the time to share their thoughts on the Boys Planet experience and what it means to attain their impeccable dream through EVNNE.

When Boys Planet wrapped, fans were sincerely adamant that they supported your next move. Little did they know that the next move was better than anything that we could have imagined! After everything you’ve been through together, what was it like to officially meet as EVNNE for the first time?

EVNNE: Without our fans’ patience, love, and support, we never could have gained the opportunity to join as members of EVNNE from passionate trainees with a common goal of debut. We are sincerely grateful for this wonderful opportunity. We’ll pay back your constant support with various charms and great performances!

Having witnessed your arduous journey on Boys Planet which ultimately led to the creation of EVNNE, this genuinely feels like an exciting industry moment! Moving forward, what do you believe your livewire group is going to bring to today’s K-pop scene?

EVNNE: We believe K-pop has endless potential and elements. With our passion for music, we will work hard to present EVNNE’s world by sharing our unique story and musical growth moving forward.

I’ve already listened to “TROUBLE” several times, and feel confident in saying that it might just be the most assertive banger debut track of 2023! But more impressively, it still feels like it caters to each member. With that in mind, what would you each say is something that only you could bring to this song?

PARK HANBIN: “TROUBLE” is a Baltimore club genre track, so I hope you look forward to our new sides along with the song’s fresh vibe. All our members have great synergy with this track in all areas including rap, singing, and performance, which allowed us to blend our individual charms into the song.

PARK JIHOO: Foremost, the song is very catchy, so you’ll be able to immerse into “TROUBLE” easily. In addition, the choreography has a lot of hip-hop elements, and I think it fits well with me. I believe many people would also enjoy the synchronized dancing of EVNNE. 

JI YUNSEO: I believe “TROUBLE” is perfect for EVNNE because it is a performance-centered track and can accentuate our strength in performance. The combination of “TROUBLE” and EVNNE is very charming because we can truly showcase our individual abilities as vocalists, rappers, and dancers.

LEE JEONGHYEON: I think a catchy high-tone rap fits very well with “TROUBLE”, adding more charms to the track. Besides that, there are many elements you can focus on such as my vocal color and clean dance. 

KEITA: Personally, I think “TROUBLE” aligns with my personality of high tension and great energy since this is a very powerful track. Therefore, I can show off my charms while putting all my energy through “TROUBLE.”

YOO SEUNGEON: To be honest, I was wondering if I could go well with this song when I first heard the track. But after practice, I realized that I could work with its vibe. Especially since this song expresses ‘troublemakers who are shaking up the world in their way’, my cheeky side goes well with the track.

MUN JUNGHYUN: If you watch the choreography for “TROUBLE”, the chorus part incorporates popping elements, accentuating the choreography’s powerful and cool side. I believe many fans will love it because it’s very fun and perfect for a challenge or a cover.

Throughout the Target: ME EP, what are a few central themes or messages that you’re hoping to get across to both new EVNNE listeners and pre-existing Boys Planet fans? 

EVNNE: Foremost, we want to say thank you to all the fans who have been supporting us since Boys Planet. It wouldn’t have been easy for us to gather as EVNNE without their continuous love and support. We have been preparing for the debut relentlessly to pay back their love. As for the message to the first-time listeners of EVNNE, we believe our debut album’s theme is the exact message we hope to convey. Since [Target: ME] represents EVNNE’s goal to ‘make myself a target that the public wants’, we plan to work hard to prove how many different sides we can show on every stage through this album. With the message of ‘EVNNE will become the target you want’, we hope you to keep your eyes on our debut and future endeavors.

You have a solid balance of rappers, dancers, and vocalists, which you’ve instantly utilized through this debut era! Considering that you’re composed of so many different talented artists, what’s one performance-based quality that you’d each like to work on expanding as a member of EVNNE?

PARK HANBIN: We all share the mindset of ‘let’s enjoy our stage’, so I hope to improve my stage presence so that our fans can enjoy our performances with us. Also, I wish to stay as a great performer even off the stage, someone who can spread EVNNE’s charms and messages through entertainment programs, radio show appearances, and more.

JI YUNSEO: EVNNE is composed of all-rounder members who can take versatile roles, not limited to a certain position. In order to maintain that, all of us want to grow more in various areas such as rap and singing. 

YOO SEUNGEON: We appeared on Boys Planet, but we’re just about to make our official debut so I still feel a little nervous before a stage. With more stages to perform on, I hope to grow more by enjoying every stage, feeling less nervous, and sharing our energy with the fans.

As a concept group that formed from a survival program, people can often feel like they have a much better understanding of the artist and the person behind the performance – which can create very close bonds between a performer and their fans. That being said, what kind of memories do you hope to make with those who have been a part of your journey so far?

MUN JUNGHYUN: For now, we’re communicating with our fans through the chat service from Mnet Plus. And having direct communication with our fans helps me to realize that I’m really making a debut. I wish to have more opportunities to meet and communicate closely with our fans through fan sign events and performances.

JI YUNSEO: Personally, I think it would be great if we could spend time with our fans through our concert or fan meeting. I hope to meet ENNVE [EVNNE’s fandom name], in person and close, and communicate comfortably just like friends do.

Since the group takes such a bold swing with this debut, what are a few of your daring goals or career aspirations you have for EVNNE?

EVNNE: The closest goal ahead of us is winning first place on music shows with our debut album. We were able to get to where we are now all thanks to our fans’ love, so we want to repay their love that motivated us to move forward by winning first place with the album we worked very hard on.

This opportunity has also become a way for all of you to bring a game-changing dream to life – so now that you’re here, what would you each say is an important personal goal you’d like to achieve while you’re a part of EVNNE?

PARK HANBIN: I believe an idol should grow in various creative aspects, not just in dance and singing. Therefore, I think it would be great to create my very own content with my name on the line.

LEE JEONGHYEON: I love writing rap, so I hope to create a rap track with our rapper members and include it in our album.

KEITA: As another member who composes and writes lyrics, I want to dedicate our self-produced song to ENNVE. It would be a good way to deliver our feelings for them.

In closing, thank you so much for taking the time to be our new cover group – and congratulations again on this well-deserved moment in your careers! Any final thoughts for Vanity Teen readers and EVNNE fans?

EVNNE: To Vanity Teen readers and ENNVE! It’s our pleasure to be able to introduce ourselves through Vanity Teen. Just like our debut album title [Target: ME], we’re planning to work hard and showcase our various charms so we can remain as targets in your heart, so please give lots of love to our debut album and its title track “TROUBLE!” We’ll try our best to meet you as much as possible, and we hope you keep your eyes on our journey ahead! Thank you!