The members of Korean group ENHYPEN take us through the lore and production styles of their individual versions of The Sin: Vanish remixes.
Three days after the release of their seventh mini-album, The Sin: VanishFriday, ENHYPEN is back with a remix album released earlier today. In fact, make it seven remix albums, each led by a member of the septet. You would think that creating extra work would be exhausting, but ENHYPEN collectively sees this as an artistic opportunity.
At this point, his bandmates nod in agreement as they huddle together in a conference room at HYBE's Seoul office. They are all dressed casually (t-shirts, baseball caps, beanies and a parka or two), without the stage makeup they wear for photo shoots and music videos. Sunoo, Sunghoon, Jay, and Jake sit in the front, with Heeseung, Jungwon, and Ni-ki sitting in the back. They're polite, waiting their turn to talk about their respective remix albums, which all share the same title — The Sin: Vanishwith the inclusion in parentheses of the specific name of each member.
As the interview continues, they clap and make hearts with their fingers to show their appreciation, and don't hesitate to look out for each other. For example, when Sunoo inadvertently disappears from view, Sunghoon gently pulls him into the frame. Since their debut in November 2020, ENHYPEN have cultivated a mythology of sexy vampires. But during this exclusive interview with WECBthey give off more of a “golden retriever” style vibe than that of brooding undead.
ENHYPEN's digital remix albums feature all 11 tracks from the band's mini-album — six songs, including the lead single, “Knife,” plus four theatrical narrations delivered by professional actors, and a sketch — as well as their own remixes of “Knife,” an English version of “Knife” and individual vocal notes.
A mythology with bite
Coming from a country that doesn't have a gun culture, ENHYPEN chose a knife as the central image of their main title — reflecting not only South Korea's use of knives as their weapon of choice in K-dramas, but also how a normal knife isn't strong enough to kill a vampire. The group's vampire stories run deep, depicting the symbiotic relationship between the seven members and their loyal fandom, the ENGENE. Which begs the question: if ENHYPEN are the vampires, where do ENGENE fit in?
Ethnomusicologist Donna Kwon applauds ENHYPEN's commitment to vampire lore, which has traditionally been linked to Eastern European culture. “With their 2023 music video “Bite Me,” I think they also defied K-pop conventions a bit.”says Kwon — professor at the University of Kentucky and author of Music in Korea: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture – has WECB. “The presence or development of lore is one of many strategies a group can employ to gain fans, stand out, and compete. For those fans who truly love the lore, they often bond with other members of the fandom to understand the various meanings and details. »
When asked about how many songs ENHYPEN discussed before deciding that “Knife” would be the one they would all remix, Sunghoon says: “It was 'Knife' from the beginning. From the start, we were all on the same page about it. We just worked on it in our different ways. »
Each member, a unique style
For example, the group's leader Jungwon mixed industrial and metal for his remix. “My version is in the nu metal genre”he said. “We do a lot of gigs, so obviously I had that in mind from the start. The original track “Knife” itself has a really punchy sound, but I knew that the band sound goes really well with the hip-hop and trap undercurrent, so I wanted to mix that band sound together to make it even more punchy. »
Meanwhile, Heeseung's remix has a hypnotic dance-driven vibe, complete with an echoing backbeat. The singer also recorded additional vocals that are not on the original track.
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Jay, a Seattle native, had a clear vision for his remix of “Knife.” That the guitar-driven banger sounds stadium-ready is intentional.
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For Korean-Australian Jake, tapping into old-school Memphis hip-hop resulted in a song that sounds both retro and fresh.
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Sunghoon remembers thinking about the direction he wanted to take before turning to a vibrant sound of baile funk. The former competitive figure skater says he hopes fans enjoy his version, and coyly adds that it would be fun if his remix of “Knife” went viral.
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While Sunghoon tackled baile funk, Sunoo opted to record a digi-pop version of “Knife” which is upbeat and catchy, but with a dramatically tense edge that belies the artist's sunny disposition.
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The youngest member, Ni-ki, from Japan, had very specific ideas about how he wanted his remix to sound. His “Knife” begins quickly with vocal effects that give the song an urgent vibe. It's an energetic and intense boom-bap song meant to get people dancing.
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Advice to their younger selves
As the interview comes to a close, the band reflects on how they have grown as artists over the past five years. I ask them, if they could go back in time and meet their 10 year old selves, what would they tell them?
Sunghoon smiles at maknae of the group — or the youngest member — and says: “I struggled a bit when I was figure skating. I struggled with tracking scores and my performance. I just want to tell him to be confident and not obsess about numbers and scores. »
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Jungwon says he doesn't want to say anything specific to his inner child except: “Trust yourself and have faith in yourself. »
Smiling, Sunoo said: “I wish I had exercised more when I was a kid, because I think I could have gotten taller if I had played more sports, but I didn't. So I would like to encourage him to be an athletic kid. »
Heeseung contemplates the question, before answering. “I don't think I'll tell him anything, because my MBTI is a T (thinking), and I'm a logical, rational person. I know the 10-year-old me had to follow the exact same road to get to where I am today. »
