Within the two days since ENHYPEN’s label BELIFT LAB announced that member Heeseung would depart the group to pursue his solo career, the reaction from fans has been immediate and staggering.
A Change.org petition calling for BELIFT LAB and parent company HYBE to “allow” Heeseung to pursue solo activities while remaining an ENHYPEN member surpassed one million signatures within two days. As of press time, that number stands at over 1.23 million signatures.
The creators wrote the petition in Korean, Japanese, and English — a deliberate choice that reflects the group’s global fanbase and main markets — and addressed it directly to BELIFT LAB and HYBE. The message does not ask Heeseung to abandon his solo ambitions, but instead calls on management to find a way for those dreams to coexist with his membership in ENHYPEN and to keep the group together as seven.
“While we fully support Heeseung’s artistic growth and the opportunity for him to explore solo music,” the petition reads, “we strongly believe that a solo career should not require leaving ENHYPEN.”
The petition points out that “across the K-pop industry, many artists successfully balance group promotions and solo activities at the same time,” including those in HYBE. They also call Heeseung “an essential part of ENHYPEN’s identity as a vocalist, performer, and strong supporting member within the team.”
The petition concludes, “ENHYPEN’s strength has always been the seven members growing together. We hope the company will reconsider this decision and pursue a path that allows Heeseung’s solo artistry to flourish without separating him from the group.”
In a statement to Billboard on Wednesday, March 11, the label explained: “We concluded that allowing Heeseung to focus fully on his career as a solo artist, rather than pursuing solo activities within the team, would be the most fulfilling approach for both ENHYPEN and Heeseung.”
Still, the emotional weight on fans remains palpable in the sheer numbers calling for change.
One featured comment on the Change.org petition from a fan named Amanda has accumulated over 14,000 “likes.” Written as if speaking to Heeseung directly, she says, “ENHYPEN isn’t the same without you. Your voice, your talent, and your presence are a huge part of what makes the group so special. You are the hyung who supports the members and the artist who comforts so many ENGENEs, including me. ENHYPEN is my comfort group, and you are a big reason for that. Your voice means everything to us. You can have your solo career and still stay in the group — both can exist at the same time. We will support you no matter what. Please remember how important you are, not only to ENGENEs but also to the members. ENHYPEN feels complete because you are there. Thank you for your hard work and for always giving your best. We love you and we will always be here for you.”
Following the March 10 notice from BELIFT LAB that Heeseung will be leaving the group to begin a solo career, and a handwritten letter from the singer himself, fans have questioned the timing of the announcement.
Even just this week, ENHYPEN had scheduled fan-call events where all seven members — including Heeseung — were meant to meet and speak with fans through video calls. ENHYPEN’s six members took part in them on March 11, while organizers announced that calls with Heeseung had been postponed.
Plus, Australia’s The Morning Show has promoted ENHYPEN’s upcoming appearance with photos and new content featuring all seven group members. The show even encouraged fans to send in questions for the group and fans have responded with over 13,000 replies so far.
The timing of this exit also comes as ENHYPEN is currently riding a major commercial wave of their career following the release of their latest album, THE SIN : VANISH, which moved more than 1.6 million copies worldwide on its first day — a record for 2026 so far — and has since sold more than two million copies. Along with his band mate Jake, Heeseung wrote and composed one of VANISH’s standout B-side tracks, “Sleep Tight.”
Fans and critics have long considered Heeseung (born Lee Heeseung on October 15, 2001) one of ENHYPEN’s most multidimensional performers — a vocalist, dancer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter and composer whose range made him a defining presence in the group’s artistic identity. After originally training under BIGHIT MUSIC with the members of Tomorrow X Together (who debuted in 2019 as the label’s first boy band after BTS), he eventually got his chance to debut by competing on the singing competition series I-Land, where he earned fifth place and a spot in the group that became ENHYPEN.
Boasting perfect pitch, Heeseung had always shared his ambition to write and compose music for his group. His individual profile grew in tandem with the group’s ascent. Most recently, fans voted him the UPICK Global Choice — Boy award at the 2026 D Awards held in Seoul.
Source: Forbes