Nothing stopped EVNNE from pursuing the career they wanted, and now that they have made their debut, the members are more than ready to show what they are capable of.
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First brought to prominence by their participation in the survival program Boys Planet, and despite the initial uncertainty of getting eliminated, members KEITA, PARK HANBIN, LEE JEONGHYEON, YOO SEUNGEON, JI YUNSEO, MUN JUNGHYUN, and PARK JIHOO kept going and forged a new path as they come together as one. “Not long after the program concluded, an incredible opportunity to debut as EVNNE came to all of us,” EVNNE told NYLON Manila in an exclusive interview. Starting anew as part of the up-and-coming group under Jellyfish Entertainment, the boys are ready to establish their own identity and shine in the scene like the “evening’s newest étoiles.”
INSTAGRAM/EVNNE_OFFICIAL
“Appearing on the show served as a significant source of inspiration.” Applying what they’ve learned from the competition show, it’s time for EVNNE to showcase how ambitious they are in pursuing their dreams with their first mini-album, Target: ME and title track Trouble, which were released last September. By aiming to become the “target” of everyone’s attention, the septet’s album showcases various styles and charms, from hip-hop to R&B with the tracks TROUBLE, Role Model, Pretty Thing, Your Text, JUKEBOX, and Even More.
With their anticipated debut, they are poised to unveil their multifaceted talents and potential. From being part of Boys Planet to debuting as EVNNE, the members sat down with NYLON Manila to talk about the album preparations and their aspirations to shine brightly in the K-pop industry.
First and foremost, congratulations on your anticipated debut. The members already gained attraction even before debuting during the survival program Boys Planet. Does this amount of attention put much pressure on you, or does it just make you feel better since you already know that many people are already supporting you?
EVNNE: Our debut would have been entirely impossible without the support from everyone. Though we were not able to make our debut through Boys Planet, EVNNE was made possible with the continuous love and support of those who stood by us until the very end, enabling us to persist in the pursuit of our dreams. Therefore, we are very grateful rather than burdened by their love.
Tell us more about Target: ME. What is the overall main concept of the album, and could you elaborate more on the title track TROUBLE?
EVNNE: Our debut album, Target: ME, embodies our ambition to become the target of public affection. For this, the album encompasses a diverse range of concepts and music, featuring the compelling title track TROUBLE, with the members aiming to captivate the public with their unique charm.
TROUBLE is an intense Baltimore Club genre of music that portrays the members as attractive yet mischievous boys who are out to change the world on their own. This song showcases EVNNE’s determination and strength through its addictive beats and visually striking choreography. Please send us your love and support for this album!
If you could pick only one track from the album that you think will be the best to introduce EVNNE to people, which song would you recommend, and why?
JI YUNSEO: I believe the track Role Model is the song that most reflects our group’s identity and energy, and I’m sure that other members will agree. The hip-hop genre suits our members great, and the song’s vibrant and exciting vibe captures the energy in each of us well. Furthermore, I believe Role Model is the perfect representation of EVNNE today, as it encapsulates the journey we’ve undertaken to make our dream, or our debut, come true while looking up to our role models for inspiration and guidance.
Even though you already have had experiences, there are still activities that you weren’t able to do like filming your own music video or recording your own whole album in a studio. Could you please tell us about your experience on these? Are there any fun or memorable behind-the-scenes stories you would like to share with us?
LEE JEONGHYEON: Even though all the valuable lessons we gained from our participation in Boys Planet, it was our first time filming the music video so there were several awkward moments. As for the acting aspect, we frequently turned to KEITA, the only member with prior experience, for advice. Filming scenes where we were spray painting or riding a bike turned out to be more challenging than we had initially anticipated. So we would like to thank the directors who skillfully filmed and edited our video, ensuring that we appeared at our best.
PARK JIHOO: There were several things that I encountered for the first time while filming the music video, such as smoke bombs and spray paints, which I found to be quite novel when I saw it. I used the spray paint to write my name on the wall, and it felt like I had finally become the real bad boy, so I quite enjoyed it!
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Could you please share with us your overall experience participating in Boys Planet? What do you believe is the best thing you’ve learned or experienced given the opportunity to take part in it?
KEITA: Appearing on Boys Planet served as a significant source of inspiration for me. It provided an opportunity to substantially expand my musical horizons by immersing myself in genres and styles that I had not previously tried or those I had found somewhat challenging. Collaborating with the friends who were also part of the show allowed me to grow and evolve musically in ways I hadn’t expected.
PARK HANBIN: I learned and experienced a lot through the program. We had the privilege of encountering opportunities that are often not given to most trainees, such as performing in front of a big audience. We also received a lot of advice regarding performance techniques and stage etiquette, which contributed significantly to our growth. Not only that, spending time with mentors, seniors who have already made their debut, and fellow trainees who share the common dream, gifted me with invaluable experiences.
The members said they were uncertain and hesitant about their future after not making it into ZEROBASEONE, but because of this situation, were you able to pick up the biggest thing or mindset that you think you should have as you embark on this journey?
YOO SEUNGEON: After Boys Planet, there was a period during which many of our members grappled with uncertainty. Being eliminated left me personally questioning whether continuing down this path was the right decision. However, not long after the program concluded, an incredible opportunity to debut as EVNNE came to all of us. This helped us regroup and rekindle our pursuit of the dream of debuting.
More importantly, this opportunity came to us because our fans saw and continued to support our dream from the very beginning. I was deeply touched by the immense love from our fans, and at the same time, it instilled in me a stronger commitment to work even harder to properly give back their support.
Since EVNNE means “EVENing’s Newest Etoiles,” if each one of you could name his own star, what would you name it, and why?
KEITA: I would name the star “Lucky” with the hope that whenever ENNVEs think of us looking up at this star, they may experience happiness and joy.
PARK HANBIN: “Yoonseul” which means “glittering ripples of water” in pure Korea. I want EVNNE to be a comforting presence, like a gentle, twinkling star in the night sky.
LEE JEONGHYEON: I want to name the star “Jeong-rius”, which is a combination of Sirius, the brightest art in the Earth’s night sky, and my name, JEONGHYEON.
YOO SEUNGEON: I will name it the “Always Star” because it represents my desire to always be on our fans’ side, shining brightly more than ever. We will also continue to work hard to become a rising star in the K-pop industry.
JI YUNSEO: I will name the star an “Everlasting Star,” meaning a star whose light never fades. Like its name, I also want to become a star that doesn’t fade but rather grows brighter with time.
MUN JUNGHYUN: I will name it “Rainbow,” embodying our group’s versatility to pull off various images and concepts.
PARK JIHOO: I’d like to name it “Jihangsung,” which a short for “Jihoo Hangsung (star)”
INSTAGRAM/EVNNE_OFFICIAL
Stars shine so bright and give off energy. In what ways or how do you think EVNNE will be able to shine brightly in the K-Pop industry? How will you work toward getting that spotlight in this generation?
EVNNE: We believe that our greatest strength lies in the fact that each member is an all-rounder who can excel in various roles, regardless of their position within the group. Likewise, EVNNE is not constrained by a particular musical style or concept. We are committed to continuous growth and improvement, ensuring that each comeback presents a fresh image and a diverse range of music to our audience.
Your first album amassed over 240,000 copies sold on Hanteo within the first week of its release. What was your reaction to that kind of achievement, considering that you’re just a newly-debuted group?
EVNNE: The immense interest we received immediately upon our debut took us by surprise, and we are genuinely delighted and thankful for all the love. We will work hard to give back all the love and support we’ve received!
You already have experience performing on stages because of Boys Planet, but festivals like KCON and Idol Radio Live felt different because they’re grand-scale. What was your experience like? Do you let your nervousness take over you?
MUN JUNGHYUN: We used to be very nervous before going on stage, for instance, during Idol Radio Live as well as KCON. These were the first occasions when we performed on such a grand scale, with KCON being our first international performance. Thankfully, the audience welcomed us and the volume of cheers from our fans grew even louder with a bigger audience size. This enthusiastic support filled us with energy, allowing us to thoroughly enjoy the performances, making both of these stages unforgettable and delightful.
INSTAGRAM/EVNNE_OFFICIAL
Do you have any messages to your fans in the Philippines?
EVNNE: To all ENNVEs in the Philippines, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and the immense love you’ve shown us, since our appearance on Boys Planet to our beginning as EVNNE. We eagerly look forward to the day we can visit the Philippines in person, so we can thank you in person and share the stage with our Filipino ENNVEs! We hope for this day to come as soon as possible and in the meantime, please continue to follow and support EVNNE until then. Thank you!
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