In just under a month, Lee Hee-seung went from one-seventh of ENHYPEN to a standalone act with a new name. Here is the documented sequence of what BELIFT LAB actually announced.
From Heeseung to EVAN: The Full Timeline of What BELIFT Announced
EVAN is the solo stage name BELIFT LAB gave to former ENHYPEN vocalist Lee Hee-seung after separating him from the group in March 2026. On March 10, 2026, the label announced in a multilingual statement that Heeseung would no longer continue activities with ENHYPEN, the group he debuted with in 2020, and that ENHYPEN would carry on as six members (Soompi). The remaining lineup is JUNGWON, JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOON, SUNOO, and NI-KI .
BELIFT framed the exit around in-depth discussions that, it said, revealed Heeseung "has his own distinct musical vision," citing differences in musical direction. He stayed under BELIFT LAB to prepare a solo album rather than leaving the company entirely (Soompi). The label now keeps two separate artist pages — a six-member ENHYPEN profile and a standalone EVAN profile — so this is presented as a distinct act, not a side project (BELIFT LAB).
The EVAN identity arrived next. On April 8, 2026, BELIFT unveiled the stage name alongside a solo profile on its website, a new Instagram account, and first official solo images (Billboard). Heeseung described the name as one he had "cherished since childhood," holding "many of my most precious memories."
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 10, 2026 | BELIFT announces Heeseung leaves ENHYPEN; group continues as six |
| April 8, 2026 | EVAN stage name, solo profile, and Instagram unveiled |
| June 11, 2026 | EVAN profile still reads "Coming Soon" |
The details remain thin. As of June 11, 2026, BELIFT's official EVAN profile still reads "Coming Soon" — no album title, tracklist, release date, or first-single name has been officially confirmed there, even as teasers circulate elsewhere (BELIFT LAB).
Why 'RIDE OR DIE' Reopened Every Question About the Departure
The teaser that landed on June 10 turned a quiet rollout into a renewed argument. On June 10, 2026, EVAN shared the first teaser for his debut solo digital single, titled "RIDE OR DIE," across his newly launched official accounts . The choice of title is what reopened the debate: "ride or die" echoes a January 2026 Weverse message Heeseung wrote during ENHYPEN's "Knife" promotions, when he told the group and fans "from now on we're even more ride or die" .
For many fans, reusing a phrase first addressed to ENHYPEN and its fandom read as a sign the song began as group-era content. That reading split observers into two competing theories. One holds that Heeseung did not expect to leave at all — that he intended to pursue solo work while staying a member, and the material predates the split. The other holds the reverse: that the departure was planned, and the phrase was deliberately seeded, including in his farewell letter, as a signal. One commenter summarized the first camp directly:
"he thought he'll continue his activities while doing his solo cus he kept saying engenes" — fan comment cited by Vulture
The creative record gives both theories something to point to. EVAN carries songwriting and production credits from his ENHYPEN tenure, including tracks such as "Highway 1009" and "Dial Tragedy," work spread across three studio albums and seven EPs . That established crossover between his group output and his individual writing makes it plausible that solo-leaning material was already in motion before March — which is precisely why neither theory has been settled by the evidence on hand.
What complicates verification is that the single's specifics still rest on a teaser rather than an official page. As of June 11, 2026, BELIFT's own EVAN profile continued to display "Coming Soon," with no confirmed release date, tracklist, or even a first-single name listed there . The "RIDE OR DIE" title and its January echo therefore come from the teaser and secondary reporting, not a label release page. Until BELIFT confirms the details directly, the song's origin — group content repurposed, or solo work always intended — remains an open question that the title itself only sharpens.
2,077,711 Signatures, Protest Trucks, and a Petition Labeled 'Victory'
The largest measurable expression of that anger is a Change.org petition titled "allow-heeseung-to-pursue-solo-activities-without-leaving-enhypen," created on March 10, 2026 — the same day BELIFT LAB announced the departure — which has since gathered 2,077,711 supporters . The petition's name states the demand plainly: keep Heeseung in the group while letting him release solo music, rather than removing him entirely. The page also logs 106,711 supporter voices, three updates, and six media mentions, though its substantive issue text is not displayed, so the precise wording and the basis for its status should be read with that caveat .
Most striking is the platform label: the petition is marked "Victory." Yet no corresponding change has been announced. BELIFT's own website still lists ENHYPEN as six members and maintains EVAN as a separate solo profile . Whether fan pressure altered any company decision is therefore unresolved — the "Victory" tag and the unchanged official lineup point in opposite directions, and the research offers no source confirming the petition produced a concrete outcome.
The reaction extended beyond signatures. Vulture reported that some fans questioned whether the exit was truly voluntary, and that protest trucks and in-person demonstrators appeared at HYBE's building after the announcement . On social media, critics focused less on the idea of a solo career than on its abruptness and finality — removing Heeseung outright instead of allowing solo work while he remained a member. Commenters noted he left with under two years on his contract, called the move "irresponsible," and argued it left the remaining six "looking foolish" .
"Some fans questioned whether the departure was voluntary, and protest trucks and in-person protesters appeared at HYBE's building after the announcement." — reporting by Vulture
The fandom is not unified, though. Sentiment splits between grief and support: some mourn the original seven-member formation and worry openly about whether the remaining members will renew their contracts, while others defend Heeseung's right to pursue his own creative direction . That division is why the story has stayed loud well past the March announcement — the dispute is not only about one member leaving, but about how the exit was handled and what it signals for the five who stayed alongside the newly six-member group.
EVAN's First Live Stages: KCON LA and Busan One Asia Festival
EVAN's first confirmed solo stage is KCON LA 2026, where he is scheduled to perform on the M Countdown Stage on Sunday, August 16, 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles . He shares that bill with headliner TXT alongside JO1, NEXZ, MEOVV, ALLDAY PROJECT, and ALPHA DRIVE ONE . It marks the first time fans can see his post-ENHYPEN identity on a major international stage rather than through teasers and profile pages.
Reports also place EVAN on the lineup for the 2026 Busan One Asia Festival at Busan Asiad Main Stadium in late June 2026, which would put his first hometown-soil appearance ahead of the KCON LA date . As of this writing, that booking rests on secondary reporting rather than an official set announcement.
Fan reaction to these stages splits along the same lines as the rest of the saga. Some welcome the booking — "I'm glad that he gets his chance to perform because he deserves it" — while others described it as something that "feels like a final goodbye to enhypen" and said they felt "sick deep inside" .
The concrete takeaway: EVAN has two reported live dates — Busan in late June and KCON LA on August 16, 2026 — but no official set list, performance time, or dedicated ticketing page has been confirmed for either event . Until BELIFT moves the EVAN profile past "Coming Soon," these stages — not a released single — are the clearest markers of when the solo era actually begins.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Heeseung leave ENHYPEN?
BELIFT LAB cited differences in musical direction after in-depth discussions, saying Heeseung "has his own distinct musical vision" and would prepare a solo album while remaining under the label . In a handwritten Weverse letter, Heeseung said he had been developing personal projects for some time and chose individual work after weighing his commitment to the group . Neither party disclosed full internal reasons, and the departure was announced on March 10, 2026 .
What does the name EVAN mean?
Heeseung described EVAN as a name he has "cherished since childhood," one holding "many of my most precious memories," and said he hopes to reach fans with music that expresses his "most honest and natural self" . The label unveiled the moniker on April 8, 2026 with first solo-profile images and a new Instagram account . Some online comments mocked the name, while defenders noted it is reportedly his long-standing English name and a natural way to separate his solo identity from ENHYPEN .
When does EVAN officially debut?
There is no confirmed release date as of June 11, 2026 — BELIFT LAB's official EVAN profile still shows "Coming Soon" rather than an album title, tracklist, preorder link, or release hour . The first teaser for his solo digital single "RIDE OR DIE" dropped on June 10, 2026 across his new official accounts, but no release date or tracklist has been officially announced . Until the profile moves past "Coming Soon," the single's specifics rest on the teaser and secondary reporting.
Is ENHYPEN still active after Heeseung's departure?
Yes. BELIFT LAB confirmed ENHYPEN continues as six members: JUNGWON, JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOON, SUNOO, and NI-KI . Heeseung's exit reduced the group from seven to six . The group's original debut date of November 30, 2020 remains listed on the BELIFT profile .
What happened with the 2-million-signature petition?
The Change.org petition asking BELIFT to let Heeseung pursue solo work without leaving ENHYPEN, created March 10, 2026, reached 2,077,711 supporters and carries a "Victory" label on the platform . Despite that label, BELIFT has made no public announcement of any change — the EVAN and ENHYPEN profiles remain separate acts, and the official ENHYPEN lineup is still six members . The petition page currently displays no substantive issue text, so its exact wording should be treated as partially unavailable .
