[Dispatch=Yuha Sky Reporter] "I think you can't beat someone who enjoys it." (Park Han Bin)
Spit, manipulation, anti, elimination, loser. These are words rarely seen in idol song lyrics. EVVNE instead took the most painful words and transformed them into their own weapon.
Audition elimination, project group debut, five-member reorganization, and conversion to an official group. From that turbulent process, they expressed the anxiety, desperation, and sense of responsibility they felt through music.
Like their team name (Evening's Newest Etoiles), EVVNE dreams of becoming a newly shining star in the night sky. Now they have taken their first steps as an official group, not a project.
Dispatch recently met EVVNE. We heard their sincerity in the new single 'Backtalk' and their determination to reach even greater heights.
◆ EVVNE more
EVVNE's beginning was Mnet's 'Boys Planet'. Park Han Bin (11th place), Keita (12th place), Lee Jung Hyun (15th place), Moon Jung Hyun (29th place), Park Ji Hoo (33rd place) and others gathered to form a spin-off group.
EVVNE subsequently went through several changes. Last January, they achieved official team conversion as the first survival project group. Members were reorganized from seven to five.
"I worried the stage would look empty as the number decreased. During the gap period, I focused only on lessons. Rather than putting it off by saying 'Who will do it?', I approached it with the mindset of 'I'll do it first'." (Lee Jung Hyun)
Their sense of responsibility grew accordingly. They changed the way they express opinions. Park Han Bin recalled that "members started voicing their opinions directly to the company and presenting ideas more often".
Teamwork also became stronger. Park Ji Hoo said with a laugh, "We were close before, but as the number decreased, we became even more bonded. Now it feels like a family beyond just a team".
◆ EVVNE only
The debut single 'Backtalk' took 'self-diss' as its theme. They did not hide the memories of audition elimination and wounds from the debut process, but faced them directly.
"We started with the idea of directly writing our own story. Self-diss was the closest topic to us. We recalled our past and weaknesses and incorporated them into the lyrics." (Moon Jung Hyun)
The musical color is also bold. 'Backtalk' was based on digicorecore. By combining aggressive synths and trap rhythms, they maximized raw emotion.
Keita explained, "Digicore is characterized by a sound that seems to shatter, and we thought it matched well with the message that we will go our own path".
The performance is also intense. Park Han Bin emphasized, "The key to this choreography is using the body in large movements. Particularly in the 'spit it out' part, we captured the feeling of throwing forward".
◆ EVVNE made
This new album has all members credited. Park Ji Hoo directly created and presented a PowerPoint proposal. He contributed ideas at every stage of production including genre, concept, and performance.
The lyrics contained raw emotions. Direct expressions appear such as "I'm a loser who was eliminated", "keep talking all you want", "even if antis try to stop me", and "look all you want, we're one of a kind".
Lee Jung Hyun said, "Since we became an official group, we incorporated our aspirations going forward into the lyrics. If before we tried to package things coolly, this time we wanted to express our sincerity without reservation".
Keita repeated guide recordings seven times. It was a process to find the direction EVVNE could handle best. Members also repeatedly revised lyrics and choreography to complete the team's color.
"We believe authenticity comes through expressing ourselves with things we directly create. We will continue to make music that is uniquely EVVNE's going forward." (Keita)
EVVNE clearly established their direction as a self-produced group. Moon Ji Hoo said emphatically, "We want to show that EVVNE is a team that creates itself, and going forward, we will expand our involvement to include composition".
◆ EVVNE if
The modifier that followed EVVNE was "spin-off group". Now there is no need to explain it with that word. The audition opportunity was given to everyone, and they just needed to prove that opportunity in their own way.
Park Ji Hoo shared the same thought. He said, "We simply failed to pass the last gate, but that ending became another beginning. Now we will show EVVNE's true colors".
Their driving force is Enb (fandom name). Lee Jung Hyun expressed gratitude, saying, "It was an uncertain situation where we didn't know when it would end. Yet because there were fans who believed in us unchanged, EVVNE exists today".
Park Han Bin revealed, "During a difficult time, a fan told me, 'If you lack confidence in yourselves, then we're supporting someone insufficient too.' Thanks to that comment, I was able to regain my resolve".
"Thank you for always being by our side. We will continue to work hard and repay you so that we can become EVVNE that Enb is proud of." (Moon Jung Hyun)
<Photos=Photographer Jung Young Woo>
