Only two years after their debut, ENHYPEN continues to share their undeniable talents with the world. Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and NI-KI were brought together on the survival show I-LAND, and later debuted under Belift Lab on November 30, 2020. Throughout their time as a group, they have achieved many goals as fresh rookies, from high-charting albums to a sold-out world tour where they touched down in six U.S. cities. 

The start of their journey came with the anticipated release of their first mini-album BORDER : DAY ONE with the title track “Given-Taken.” The album debuted at No. 2 on the Gaon Monthly Album Chart, making it the best-selling album by a rookie in 2020, and the title track debuted at No. 79 on the Gaon Download Chart. The album also peaked No. 1 on Oricon’s Daily Album Chart with 58,000 estimated sales.  

The Music Video

The music video for “Given-Taken” opens with an eerie scene of member Jungwon experiencing a nosebleed, and as the scene disappears from view, we are greeted with the seven members in an abandoned room as the music begins. A mystical instrument plays, and eldest member Heeseung begins the song with the iconic line, “Wake up in day one.” As the scene continues, the members glitch in and out of the room, and we are left alone with the eye-catching visuals of member Sunoo. The music video grabbed the attention of those anticipating the group’s debut, and as of 2022 the video sits at 68 million views. 

The MAMA Stage

While the group performed many stages for their iconic debut song, the most highly anticipated was their first-ever appearance at the Mnet Asian Music Awards, just one week after their debut. The stage started with a VCR of member Jake talking poetically about their time on I-LAND while images flashed in and out, showing the progression and battles the members faced on the show. Sunghoon appeared, walking through a white door before the view switched to a performance of him on ice skates while the piano version of I-LAND’s theme song, “Into the I-LAND,” started playing. The scene then changed quickly to Heeseung’s small solo moment, where he danced and sang to the album’s intro, “Intro : Walk the Line.” The members then reunited on stage as they walked to the middle to get into formation for the start of “Given-Taken.” The stage consisted not only of the group’s original choreography, but it also shocked viewers with an intense dance break before jumping right back into the song. The stage allowed ENHYPEN to showcase their talents as rookies and grasp the attention of all viewers. 

While the group did not win any awards for their debut album, they definitely made an impact and showcased what they have to bring into the fourth generation of K-Pop.

Edited by Omani