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Enhypen
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Jungwon, Sunoo, Ni-Ki, Jake, Sunghoon, and Jay of ENHYPEN perform a choreographed dance onstage at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, with a dynamic abstract background behind them. ENHYPEN members Sunoo, Jake, Heeseung, Sunghoon, Ni-ki, Jay, and Jungwon perform a synchronized dance in ornate white and gold jackets on stage at Radio City Music Hall before a crowd. ENHYPEN performs onstage in front of a large screen displaying ENHYPEN and Coachella, with an orange sunset background and silhouettes of stage structures.
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November 30, 2020 - present
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Enhypen

South Korean band
Also known as: ENHYPEN
Written by
Laura Payne
Laura Payne is a freelance writer whose work covers many topics. She is a former Wayne State University linguistics instructor.
Laura PayneAll
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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‱History
Jungwon, Sunoo, Ni-Ki, Jake, Sunghoon, and Jay of ENHYPEN perform a choreographed dance onstage at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, with a dynamic abstract background behind them.
EnhypenThe K-pop band Enhypen (from left: Jungwon, Sunoo, Ni-ki, Jake, Sunghoon, and Jay) performs onstage in San Diego on July 21, 2026.
Top Questions

What is Enhypen known for?

Who are the current members of Enhypen?

How was Enhypen formed?

What is the meaning behind the name Enhypen?

How did Enhypen rise to international fame?

What are some of Enhypen’s notable albums and career milestones?

Enhypen, South Korean K-pop (Korean pop music) band behind the viral songs “Fever” and “Bite Me.” Enhypen’s music ranges across genres such as pop, rock, and hip-hop, with occasional use of reggae. The group is also noted for its dynamic and synchronized choreographed performances. A fourth-generation (a band that debuted between 2018 and 2022) K-pop band, Enhypen has become one of the most internationally recognized K-pop groups, having won numerous awards since its formation in 2020, including the Gaon (now Circle) Chart Music Awards’ World Rookie of the Year, the Hanteo Music Awards’ Artist of the Year, and multiple Golden Disc Awards for its album and digital music sales.

Band formation

Enhypen at a Glance
  • Debut: November 30, 2020
  • Number of members: 6*
  • Members: Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki
  • Band leader: Jungwon
  • Fandom name: Engene
  • Official greeting: “CONNECT! Hello, we are ENHYPEN!”
  • Notable songs: “Given-Taken,” “Polaroid Love,” “Drunk-Dazed,” “Fever,” and “Bite Me”

*The band originally consisted of seven members before Heeseung’s departure in 2026.

ENHYPEN members Sunoo, Jake, Heeseung, Sunghoon, Ni-ki, Jay, and Jungwon perform a synchronized dance in ornate white and gold jackets on stage at Radio City Music Hall before a crowd.
In performanceEnhypen (from left: Sunoo, Jake, Heeseung, Sunghoon, Ni-ki, Jay, and Jungwon) performs at Radio City Music Hall on October 15, 2022, in New York City.

Enhypen was formed in 2020 by Belift Lab, a joint venture between the South Korean entertainment companies CJ ENM and Big Hit Music, through the televised music competition reality survival series I-Land (2020). The show’s goal was to “produce the perfect idol group.” Whereas idol group members are traditionally selected privately by entertainment agencies after years of training, I-Land invited viewers from around the world to vote in the selection process and choose the best idols among 12 short-listed male trainees from different backgrounds. The final lineup, determined through a combination of viewer voting and producer selection, was announced during the September 18, 2020, season finale. The winners—Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki—were officially launched as the Enhypen boy band. Later that year the band released its debut EP, Border: Day One, and its single “Given-Taken” on November 30. The band, which initially had seven members, was reduced to six after Heeseung’s departure in March 2026.

Enhypen Members*
stage name original name date of birth nationality position in the band
*Heeseung, who was a member of the band for six years, left to pursue a solo career in March 2026.
Jungwon Yang Jung-Won February 9, 2004 Korean leader, vocalist, dancer
Jay Park Jong-Seong April 20, 2002 Korean American vocalist, dancer, rapper
Jake Sim Jae-Yun November 15, 2002 Korean Australian vocalist, dancer, rapper
Sunghoon Park Sung-Hoon December 8, 2002 Korean vocalist, dancer, rapper
Sunoo Kim Seon-Woo June 24, 2003 Korean vocalist, dancer, rapper
Ni-ki Nishimura Riki December 9, 2005 Japanese main dancer, vocalist, rapper, maknae (youngest person in the group)

The inspiration behind the band’s name is a hyphen (-), which connects two words to form new words with new meanings: The name signifies connection and collaborative growth. It also portrays the band members’ collective growth and their desire to connect with people across the world through their music.

Rise to fame

Timeline of Notable Achievements
  • December 12, 2020: Fastest new K-pop group to win a Rookie of the Year award (12 days)
  • June 24, 2022: Fastest K-pop group to reach one billion total streams on Spotify (571 days; since surpassed)
  • July 5, 2022: First fourth-generation group to have two albums sell over one million copies in Hanteo history (582 days)
  • August 13, 2022: Fastest and youngest K-pop group to enter the top 10 (number six) on the Billboard 200 (621 days)

Although Enhypen debuted in November 2020, its popularity began months earlier thanks to I-Land. The show helped establish an international fan base even before the release of the group’s first album. Border: Day One attracted attention worldwide and set a record for the highest sales in the first week in South Korea among debut albums released that year. The EP received a platinum certification from the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) after surpassing 250,000 copies sold in February 2021. Enhypen released its sophomore EP, the sequel Border: Carnival, in April 2021. It topped the Korean charts and became the band’s first album to rank in the United States; it peaked at number 18 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The two EPs’ lyrics reflect a progression in themes related to the band members’ challenges adjusting to global stardom and the pressures of rising fame.

Growing success

ENHYPEN performs onstage in front of a large screen displaying ENHYPEN and Coachella, with an orange sunset background and silhouettes of stage structures.
Coachella 2025Enhypen performs at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 19, 2025, in Indio, California.

Enhypen’s debut full-length album, Dimension: Dilemma, was released in October 2021. It topped Korean daily and weekly album charts and entered the Billboard 200 albums chart at number 11. On Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, it was the fourth best-selling album in the United States during the week of its release.

The group has continued to release successful recordings, including EPs Dimension: Senkou (2022), Manifesto: Day 1 (2022), and Dark Blood (2023), as well as albums Romance: Untold (2024) and The Sin: Vanish (2026). In 2024 Romance: Untold reached number two on the Billboard 200. The Sin: Vanish earned the band its first number one spot on the Billboard Artist 100 chart and debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart.

In 2025 the group made its debut performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

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