EVNNE'S 'LOVE ANECDOTE(S)': FROM TROUBLEMAKERS TO ROMANTICS

Interview by Denise J. Mallabo

Hailing from Mnet's popular survival show Boys Planet, EVNNE is a group that's quickly captured the attention of K-Pop fans worldwide. Debuting in 2023 under Jellyfish Entertainment with their bold and energetic sound, they quickly carved out a space as one of K-pop’s rising acts to watch. Formed by a powerhouse lineup of seven talented individuals—Keita, Park Hanbin, Lee Jeonghyeon, Yoo Seungeon, Ji Yunseo, Mun Junghyun, and Park Jihoo, the group has steadily grown from ambitious rookies into versatile performers with an expanding international following.

Their debut mini-album, Target: ME, was an instant hit, showcasing a versatile range of music from the edgy title track "Trouble" to the fan-favorite "Pretty Thing." Now, with their 5th mini-album LOVE ANECDOTE(S), EVNNE unveils a more romantic side of their artistry. Shifting from their rebellious, “troublemaker” image into music that explores the nuances of love, nostalgia, and maturity, the group captures emotions with both freshness and boldness. Their title track, How Can I Do, blends a relaxed 90s hip-hop groove sound with a playful exploration of flirting, showcasing not only their evolution in sound but also their growth as storytellers through music.

As they gear up for their 2025 SET N GO world tour, EVNNE remains eager to meet more fans, share more stages, and keep writing their story together. In this interview with A Book Of, the members open up about their journey so far, the making of LOVE ANECDOTE(S), and the dreams that keep pushing them forward.

EVNNE means "Evening's Newest Étoiles," how did you get the name?

KEITA: Just as the meaning of EVNNE, Evening’s Newest Etoiles, our name holds the hope that our members will rise higher and shine brighter in the world of K-pop, and attract everyone’s attention just like new shining stars. After learning about the name of our group and its meaning, we all loved it, and we are always working hard to make music and show our fans performances that live up to our name!

How has your sound evolved from your 2023 debut "Target: ME" to now?

YOO SEUNGEON: I think for sure, our attitude of approaching our music, and our ability to understand and embody the music, has improved a lot. Especially our title track, “How Can I Do,” is a song we’ve been meaning to use as a title track since our 2nd mini-album, but at that time, we felt that it was a little difficult for us to express the true feeling of the song.

After multiple albums and tours, our understanding of music and performance has improved a lot, and as we are learning how to convey the topic or message of a song and express a song’s emotions more vividly, I think that through this album, we were able to show how much we’ve grown so far.

You're shifting from "troublemaker" to romantic concepts. What inspired this change?

LEE JEONGHYEON: This is something we’ve said before, but we hope that in every album we release, we show a new side of EVNNE. Not only in regards to our concepts, but also in our music, we’ve continued to try new things, and now we’re already at our 5th mini-album. We thought it would be good for us to show a completely new side of ourselves, so we decided to show each member’s individuality and maturity. I think this goal also aligns well with the process of expressing love that we talk about in our title track, as well as the complexity of emotions encompassed in this album’s keyword of ‘nostalgia.’

Tell us about your new album "Love Anecdote(s)" and the title track "How Can I Do?"

MUN JUNGHYUN: Our 5th mini-album, LOVE ANECDOTE(S), is an album that captures the moment when love begins, including our members’ flirtatious sides. It’s an album that deals with EVNNE’s way of expressing emotions, from the image of a hazy street at night in the ‘Cheeky’ version, to the more natural, soft feeling of the ‘Mellow’ version. The contrasting atmosphere of the concepts in the album captures how our members express their emotions, and I think it would be good if the audience could see how EVNNE delivers these emotions!

PARK JIHOO: The title track, “How Can I Do,” is a hip-hop song that conveys how EVNNE members approach flirting in a relaxed mood. It’s a title track that’s a little different than our previous ones, as it is a song that focuses on the members’ more mature sides, so please look forward to our new performances!

How does exploring romance feel different from your previous music, which is you showing your more rebellious side?

PARK HANBIN: I think that our attitude towards approaching music has completely changed. In this album, we are expressing much more mature topics like flirting or expressing one’s emotions, and we put in a lot of work to make sure that we were able to create that atmosphere. In order to show our romantic sides through our music, we practiced and experimented with our own tone and sound so that it would match the album’s atmosphere. I think it would be good to consider the results of that process as this album.

What can fans expect from this new romantic side of EVNNE?

JI YUNSEO: I think they can look forward to an entirely different version of us, compared to the more immature sides that we’ve shown in the past. Our previous title tracks often focused on approaching stages with the goal of making a fun, energetic atmosphere, but through this album, we focused on songs that are more controlled while maintaining that easy-going attitude and still being able to deliver our message.

"UGLY" hit #7 globally and "TROUBLE" #2 in the US. What do you think connects you with your international fans?

KEITA: Our international fans always share our energy through enjoying our songs, and I think this is what connects us.

JI YUNSEO: I think our music is what connects us to our international fans. As we continue to release songs from a diverse range of styles and show an always-changing version of ourselves, I think this consistent sense of novelty and change is the process that connects us to our fans.

PARK JIHOO: I believe the biggest thing is us trying music that our international fans will like. When you look at our songs that did well internationally, they most likely align with the trending genres from foreign countries. I think that international fans being able to enjoy our songs without feeling out of place is a big aspect.

You've won on major music shows. What does performing live mean to you?

PARK HANBIN: To me, it’s an opportunity for us to really show who we are. Winning first place on a music show means that it is another chance for us to show our live performance, and so we hope to continue achieving good results.

YOO SEUNGEON: I think idols have a special opportunity to show audiences both singing and dancing together. Because of this, in order to have the stamina to be able to sing while you are dancing, there needs to be a countless amount of sweat and practice. As such, live performances are where this hard work can come to light.

How was your first North American tour "Ride with EVNNE"?

KEITA: We were curious how people would react to our first North American tour, but seeing how people danced along with us, cheering loudly, and enjoying our stages, is something I cannot forget even a year later!

LEE JEONGHYEON: I felt that there were so many fans in North America who are supporting EVNNE, and the cheers and energy we felt were just huge that I think we actually gained more energy from our fans we met during the tour.

MUN JUNGHYUN: Our first time meeting our North American fans was so much fun, and I was able to experience many different things, so I have impactful memories from that experience.

What are you most excited about for your 2025 "SET N GO" world tour?

PARK HANBIN: On this upcoming tour, there are cities we’re visiting for the first time, as well as cities we are going back again, and I think feeling the energy of our international ENNVEs and having the opportunity to show them our performances in person is what I am most looking forward to.

MUN JUNGHYUN: This tour has even more stops than our tour last year, and I am really looking forward to getting to see more ENNVEs.

PARK JIHOO: The reaction of our fans in America was so energetic, and I can’t wait to perform there again. This is our first time doing our own concert for fans in Europe, so I am excited to meet our European fans, too.

Who are your biggest musical influences, both as individual members and as a group? How do these influences shape EVNNE's sound?

KEITA: Every member has different hobbies and tastes in music, so we get a lot of ideas out of regular conversations when we have our personal preferences!

YOO SEUNGEON: Because I think it’s important to listen to a lot of music, in my day-to-day life, I try to expose myself to all kinds of music. And I tend to get inspirations rather suddenly while I’m walking down the street or right before I close my eyes to go to sleep. Each time this happens, I write it down in a note or record it. In addition, I think the creativity of the members levels up EVNNE’s music.
Any dream collaborations you'd love to do?

KEITA: I really want to work with Bruno Mars one day!

PARK HANBIN: I want to work with WOODZ!

LEE JEONGHYEON: Personally, I really like DEAN and PENOMECO’s music, so I want to work with them. I think I would learn so much from the experience, and if we were to release a song together, that would be such an honor.

YOO SEUNGEON: I would love to collaborate with BAEKHYUN of EXO. Ever since I was young, he’s been my role model. He’s an all-rounder idol who can pull off visual, dance, singing, and variety shows, so I think there is a lot I can learn from him!

JI YUNSEO: I hope to work with many artists like NAYEON of TWICE, BANG CHAN of Stray Kids, BIG Naughty, and Justin Bieber.

MUN JUNGHYUN: I respect ATEEZ so much, so I think I would be very happy if I could work with the group.

PARK JIHOO: It would be great if I could work with AJR or Silica Gel.

Keita, how do you balance being leader while letting everyone shine?

KEITA: We talk to each other a lot regularly, so knowing what each other likes, dislikes, as well as strengths, and putting a lot of thought into when to compromise or to say more decisively, is how we maintain good communication. I think this helps me lead the team, while also allowing my other members to shine.

What makes EVNNE unique compared to other groups especially those who came from survival shows?

JI YUNSEO: All of our members have a lot of interest in making music and bringing performances to life, so we always try participating in this creative process. That’s why on every album, some members are credited for composing or lyric-writing, and I think this allows us to more genuinely express what we want to say and deliver our message. As our members make music and create performances, we are a group that shares truly sincere music, which you could say is what sets us apart.

MUN JUNGHYUN: Since our debut, we’ve always said that ‘EVNNE is an all-rounder group,’ and to really prove ourselves as all-rounders, we are working hard to show new sides and music on every album. That’s why we have fun songs like “TROUBLE” and “HOT MESS,” or more sentimental songs like “How Can I Do.” Even within a similar vibe, the genre and topic of each song can always change, so I think we are a group that can express any atmosphere or genre and still shine through!
How do you support each other through challenges as a group?

LEE JEONGHYEON: When we’re going through something difficult, rather than holding on to it by ourselves, we like to tell each other, listen to one another, find a solution, or give words of comfort. We mostly get through by relying on each other.

PARK JIHOO: We get through difficult times a lot by talking to each other often. Sometimes we’ll also go on trips together so that we can rest and build stronger teamwork.

Which member has grown the most as a performer since debut?

PARK HANBIN: I think it would be PARK JIHOO. He debuted at a young age, and in the past two years, he has really grown both as an artist and a person.

LEE JUNGHYUN: Rather than a single person improving a lot, I think that as all of us have gained more experience on stage, we’ve all grown equally. But if I had to choose one, I would choose myself. (laughs)

MUN JUNGHYUN: I think it would be PARK JIHOO. He is our cute maknae (youngest member), but on stage, he transforms into a cool artist.

What's your creative process like when working on new music together?

KEITA: I think of songwriting as one of my hobbies, so I listen to a lot of music every day. I get a lot of new ideas from there. I also like watching animation, so sometimes I express the feelings and emotions from there into music.

YOO SEUNGEON: When I write lyrics, I think about whether the member who is singing that part has any specific pronunciation habits, and I write while imagining them singing it. Foremost, I think the meaning of lyrics is important, as well as how the lyrics roll off the tongue. When I make melodies, I turn on my voice recorder and repeat a single section again and again, while recording different versions of it, and then choose the version I like.

JI YUNSEO: I usually get inspired by many different things, and I try to interpret them in my own way and include them in my creative process. I am often inspired by animation, movies, or dramas, and I also look for inspiration in sports and books.

PARK JIHOO: First, I try to figure out what kind of music I want to make, and then I look into what the general public likes at the time, and start my creative process by looking for the middle ground between the two.

You released merch of your EVNNIZ characters. How important is connecting with fans through various platforms beyond just music?

PARK HANBIN: I like sharing even the little things with my fans, so outside of our music-related activities, I try to make content that I think our fans will want to know about. A lot of the time, I even share my meals and just the fact that I woke up with my fans through our fan messaging app.

LEE JEONGHYEON: Honestly, our fans always show us so much love and support, and say so many lovely things to us, and I think returning that with good stages and constant communication is what the fans would want and like. For me, connecting with our fans through our fan messaging app is now a part of our daily lives.

JI YUNSEO: It’s very important for sure. Just communicating with our fans through music can have some limits, so I think communicating with them through many different methods is crucial. When we communicate with our fans, I know they gain a lot of strength from it, and personally, I gain so much strength from it as well, so I try to communicate with them as often as I can.

MUN JUNGHYUN: I think communicating with our fans is incredibly important, and since our members and fans are really good at and enjoy communicating with each other, EVNNE and ENNVE can have such a special relationship.

What message do you have for ENNVE and new listeners discovering you?

PARK HANBIN: ENNVE, and all of A Book Of magazine’s readers! Hello, we are EVNNE! We had the opportunity to talk to A Book Of with the release of our 5th mini-album LOVE ANECDOTE(S), and I hope that you got to know EVNNE and our members better with this interview!

Please show our 5th mini-album’s title track, “How Can I Do,” lots of love, and please come see us on our SET N GO Tour in October! Thank you!
If EVNNE is a book, what kind of book is it? (it can be a title of a book or the kind of book, example, adventure book, self-help book, suspense book, etc.) and why?

KEITA: We are always running towards our dreams together, which makes me think we would be an adventure book.

PARK HANBIN: As EVNNE, we are improving step by step, and so I think we would be a novel with a story of growth. I think it would be great to have our past two years written into a novel.

LEE JEONGHYEON: I think the title of the book Underdog Mind (by Jung Young-han) aligns well with who we are. Our CEO always tells us to live with the mindset of an underdog and stay humble, so we try not to become arrogant and live with a humble perspective, which is why this book’s title suits us.

YOO SEUNGEON: If I were to compare EVNNE to a book, I think it would be The Little Prince. Just as the little prince travels to many different stars and discovers what is most valuable to him, we got together again to find our dreams and stages after the survival program concluded. Like the message, “What is essential is invisible to the eye,” I hope our sincerity reaches our fans.

JI YUNSEO: If we were a genre, I guess we would be a youth essay because the word ‘youth’ really seems to fit our story. I think the beginning and ending of that story would sound like this: “After countless times we faltered, the light was so bright and brilliant that it beamed into our eyes.”

MUN JUNGHYUN: I think we would be the book called I Will Cross the World to Get to You (by Kkochnim Lee), and just as the title says, EVNNE will always run towards ENNVE, no matter what.

PARK JIHOO: I think we would be a fairy tale. Just like a fairy tale, I believe that we can get through anything and achieve everything.