Why Heeseung couldn’t pursue solo music in ENHYPEN and had to leave unlike other K-Pop idols like Yeonjun from TXT

Dubai: Six years after their debut, ENHYPEN has announced that member Heeseung will be departing from the group to pursue a solo career.

He will remain under their label Belift Lab, but will no longer promote as part of the group. ENHYPEN will continue as a six-member act.

The news came as a shock to fans, known as ENGENE. But in the hours that followed, Heeseung took to Weverse to post a handwritten letter addressing the decision directly, and in it, he was honest, warm, and clearly emotional about what this chapter has meant to him.

"The past six years have been filled with moments that are so overwhelming and precious that they're hard to fully put into words," he wrote. "Thanks to the members with whom I shared countless emotions, and to ENGENE who always filled the empty spaces, I was able to take step after step toward a dream that once felt impossible to reach."

He went on to explain that he had been working on personal projects for a long time and had hoped to one day share them with fans. But the tension between his solo ambitions and his commitment to the group became something he could no longer quietly hold onto.

"I also didn't want to put my own ambitions ahead of the team," he wrote, adding that after long discussions with the company, he made the decision to follow their suggested direction so he could "approach ENGENE with a better side of myself."

He ended the letter with a promise: "I will continue running ahead while keeping the abundant love that ENGENE have given me engraved deep in my heart. ENGENE, thank you and I love you."

For many K-pop fans, the question is a natural one. Other idols like Yeonjun from TXT and Jungkook from BTS have managed solo projects while remaining in their groups, so why could Heeseung not do the same?

The answer comes down to a combination of schedule, creative direction, and what is best for everyone involved, that is not to say that what Yeonjun or Jungkook has done can be compared to Heeseung.

Being a member of a group at ENHYPEN's level means near-constant comebacks, international tours, group promotions, and collaborative creative decisions.

There is very little room in that framework for a member to fully develop and release solo work that reflects a genuinely different artistic identity.

Heeseung has been building personal projects for years, and Belift Lab confirmed that through in-depth discussions, it became clear he has a distinct musical vision that differs from the group's collective direction.

Trying to pursue both simultaneously would have meant either compromising his solo work to fit around the group's schedule, or allowing his personal commitments to become a distraction for the rest of the members. Neither was a fair outcome for anyone.

The decision is described by the label as a strategic move that respects Heeseung's individual artistic path while allowing ENHYPEN to move forward as a focused, cohesive unit which was a mutual agreement by both the artist and the company.

Some fans took to X and had negative reactions towards his announcement.

"No, I can accept that he’s leaving, but why is he promoting as a soloist in the same company? Won’t he find it uncomfortable if he runs into them? I’d feel so sorry if I were him. It’s insane. They’ll run into each other at music shows, awards shows, and more," said just_evan15 on X.

Heeseung will continue to be managed by Belift Lab, meaning this is a departure from the group rather than a full break from the industry. Solo music, from what can be gathered, has been in development for some time and fans can expect him to resurface with new work.

As he put it himself: "I'm preparing diligently so that I can meet you all again as soon as possible. My wish to return and greet you with a better version of myself is completely sincere."

For ENGENE who have followed him since the very beginning, that is both a goodbye and a promise rolled into one.