The energy was palpable as South Korean boy band Enhypen closed out the U.S. leg of their third world tour, ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR ‘WALK THE LINE’ IN U.S. (hereinafter ‘WALK THE LINE’), on Aug. 16th with a sold-out show in Los Angeles. Piercing screams rattled the BMO Stadium as members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki walked on stage for an electrifying performance. The show serves as a lens into Enhypen’s growth, walking with their fans (nicknamed Engene) through every step of their journey—from their early days of stepping into the spotlight, to the present and future. The group was formed through the 2020 survival competition show I-Land, which was a joint venture between CJ ENM and Hybe Corporation (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) under Belift Lab. The show featured 23 male trainees competing for a spot in the final group. They debuted on November 30, 2020, with their first mini album, BORDER: DAY ONE. The group name Enhypen is a play on the words “en dash” and “hyphen," symbolizing the members' journey of connection, discovery, and growth.
Since their debut in 2020, Enhypen have worked hard to become household names and have rapidly expanded their global influence. In five years, they’ve placed five albums in the Billboard 200 Top 10. Their second studio album, Romance: Untold, marked the group’s career-high, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and ranking highest among K-pop acts on the 2024 IFPI Global Album Chart. Enhyphen’s music is a terrific mix of catchy hooks and layered arrangements. None of the seven members have designated roles; they are all well-rounded in dance and vocal skills. They’re the perfect introduction for those who want to get into K-pop, as their music has the right blend of English and Korean.
K-pop shows are known for being super timely, and this was no exception as the group hit the stage precisely at 7:30 p.m. with the fiery opener “Brought the Heat Back,” followed by the soulful R&B hit “Fever.” The WALK THE LINE tour showcases their dynamic musical range and evolution from early youthful hits to their most recent EP from this past June, Desire: Unleash. After the opening songs, the members took a few moments to introduce themselves one by one and gave heartwarming speeches about the tour and its meaning. Group members Jake and Jay are fluent in English—Jay was raised in the U.S. and Jake in Australia. The rest of the members were assisted by a translator who helped throughout the night. After their intros, Enhypen kept the energy pulsating with the electrifying songs “ParadoXXX Invasion” and “Future Perfect (Pass the MIC).”
Keeping fans on their toes, the group separated into subunits for two performances from their 2024 release DARK MOON SPECIAL ALBUM <MEMORABILIA>. Dressed in all-black priest-inspired attire to match the dark aesthetic of “Lucifer,” Jay, Sunghoon, and Jake’s piercing whispery vocals stole the show. While Heeseung, Jungwon, Ni-ki, and Sunoo had everyone singing and dancing along to the fun lyrics of “Teeth.”
Throughout their set, we got a couple of segments highlighting their individual talents as well. There was a guitar solo from Jay before “Blessed-Cursed,” while Heeseung played the opening melody of “XO (Only If You Say Yes)” on the piano. Once the group joined in on “XO,” everyone was singing along as the song has a fun repetitive melody and chorus. Plus, the performance features a cheery dance number that involves fun hand gestures. Fans went crazy every time Sunoo appeared on screens during this number.
In total, Enhypen performed a big setlist of 24 songs in just over two hours. Delivering a fun-paced show filled with showstopping dance performances and impressive live vocals. Once the end was near, the group made sure to give their heartfelt goodbyes to their fans—promising to be back and teasing some new music. The group also mentioned that their first VR concert, ENHYPEN VR Concert: Emergence, is coming to theaters in the U.S. in September. Enhypen sent their fans into a frenzy as they finished with an explosive EDM version of “Drunk-Dazed” and a fitting reprise of their bombastic hit “Go Big or Go Home.”
