EVAN and Mark Lee Shed Their Group Names: Can Their Music Stand on Its Own?

Former ENHYPEN member Heeseung, now known as EVAN, and former NCT member Mark are set to release new music just three days apart as both move forward with their post-group careers.

EVAN will release his first mini-album, "Death of Me," on Sept. 7, followed by Mark's digital single "My Friend" on Sept. 10. Both played major roles in their respective groups before leaving earlier this year, putting new attention on what kind of musical identities they will build outside ENHYPEN and NCT.

Heeseung left ENHYPEN in March while still under contract. At the time, BELIFT LAB said discussions about the members' future activities and the group's direction made clear that Heeseung had a distinct musical path he wanted to pursue, and the company decided to respect that direction. He remained signed to BELIFT LAB, transitioned into a solo career and adopted the stage name EVAN.

EVAN began that new chapter in June with the digital single "RIDE OR DIE." As ENHYPEN's main vocalist, he had been a central part of the group's sound. As a solo artist, however, he has taken a more hands-on role across his work, including songwriting, composition, production and visual direction. The new upcoming release will offer a fuller look at the musical direction he intends to pursue on his own.

His departure from ENHYPEN was not without backlash. Announced before the end of his contract, the decision caught many fans by surprise and prompted some international fans to call for it to be reversed, including through plans to send protest trucks. The campaign even reached Korea's National Pension Service, a major HYBE shareholder, which received more than 1,500 emails within two hours, disrupting its operations.

Those calls for his return, however, did not necessarily reflect the views of the entire fandom. ENHYPEN has since moved forward as a six-member group.

Mark's departure came under different circumstances. After a decade with SM Entertainment, he completed his contract and ended his activities with NCT, including NCT 127 and NCT DREAM, in April. He then launched independent label Upper Room, beginning a new chapter in his career outside SM and NCT.

Mark will release "My Friend" on Sept. 10. The digital single is his first release since going independent and arrives about a year and five months after "The Firstfruit," his first full-length solo album, which was released under SM Entertainment last year.

Mark had already established himself as a solo artist while still with NCT, but "My Friend" carries a different weight. It is his first release outside SM's production system and the broader NCT framework, making it an early indication of where he intends to take his music under his own label.

Mark also occupied an unusually prominent position within NCT. He performed across multiple units, most notably NCT 127 and NCT DREAM, while contributing to songwriting alongside his roles as a rapper and performer. His presence across the NCT system made his departure particularly significant, and fans continued to express disappointment over the void he left behind.

The circumstances surrounding the two departures offer a notable contrast. Heeseung left ENHYPEN before his contract expired, with BELIFT LAB saying the decision was made out of respect for his musical direction. Mark, meanwhile, completed his 10-year contract before leaving both SM and NCT to pursue an independent career. Though both were key members of major groups and left within a similar period, the different circumstances surrounding their departures inevitably shaped how fans responded.

Mark's first months as an independent artist have also brought challenges. In June, he faced criticism after a photo showed him wearing a vintage T-shirt featuring the Confederate flag. Upper Room apologized, saying the shirt had been selected as a vintage item without sufficient understanding of its historical significance. Mark later issued a personal apology as well.

Criticism continued even after the apologies, with some reactions escalating into personal attacks and malicious posts. On Sept. 2, Upper Room announced plans to take legal action against malicious defamation, the spread of baseless claims and other violations of Mark's personal rights.

The challenges ahead for EVAN and Mark are different. For EVAN, the task is to establish an identity beyond his familiar image as ENHYPEN's main vocalist. Having taken an active role in the creative process for both his debut single and upcoming EP, the key will be how clearly he can articulate a musical direction that was not fully explored during his time with the group. His new work will also need to show what artistic direction he felt strongly enough about to pursue a separate path even before his contract had run its course.

For Mark, the challenge is different. He has already demonstrated his capabilities through a full-length solo album. The question now is how far he can develop that identity with greater creative control under an independent label. With controversy and malicious online posts following his departure, "My Friend" will also test whether attention can shift back toward the music as he begins this next phase.

One of the biggest challenges for any prominent K-POP group member going solo is turning an identity built within a group into one that can stand independently. Existing fans may provide a foundation, but a solo artist must also establish a musical identity distinct from the group. Being recognized as a strong performer within a successful group does not automatically guarantee the same results alone.

For EVAN and Mark, the conversation is therefore beginning to move beyond why they left their groups to what they can show after leaving them. The next test will be whether they can move beyond the names they built as ENHYPEN's Heeseung and NCT's Mark and establish identities that are distinctly their own.