ENHYPEN Returns With Stellar New Music in MANIFESTO: DAY 1

As an ENHYPEN stan from their I-LAND days, I was not ready for the shock that came from their newest comeback, MANIFESTO: DAY 1. Little did I know, the group’s title track, “Future Perfect (Pass the MIC),” would tear down their previous reputation and introduce fans to a new era of their discography.

While I was at first let down to see the boys abandon some of their beloved traditions, notably the hyphens in their title tracks — “Given-Taken,” “Drunk-Dazed,” “Tamed-Dashed,” and “Blessed-Cursed” — there stood a deeper meaning in the music that I had failed to realize until I replayed the song nearly fifty times over. 

The seven-member group consisting of Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Sunghoon, Jake, Sunoo, and Niki debuted in the fall of 2020 after participating in the HYBE survival show I-LAND. Their debut was quickly prepared, and the boys were launched into the spotlight in the blink of an eye, releasing “Given-Taken” only a few months after the show ended. 

“We prepared in a hurry after I-LAND…” the leader, Jungwon, mentioned in one of his -note episodes, “so there were some parts I thought we could’ve done better. I hope we can work on these shortcomings in the next album.” Little did they know, their debut would be more than just a massive success. They were immediately launched into the international spotlight, which, of course, put a lot of pressure on the teen boys. Not only were fans monitoring their every action, but the K-pop industry was waiting anxiously for the group to release new and innovative music, something HYBE groups are known for. 

But given their debut’s popularity, their adopted concept took precedence for the following three comebacks. The group was left in an inescapable cycle for nearly two years, stuck in what seemed to be the “hyphen concept,” which had almost solidified their identity and music. ENGENEs (the group’s fanbase) never expected ENHYPEN to take such a drastic turn as they did with their comeback, but it needed to be done. Sooner or later, the boys would have to escape the binding that held them back for so long, and “Future Perfect” was the perfect opportunity to do so. 

Since their debut, the group has been met with a lot of backlash. Although it is a sensitive topic to touch upon, the recent title track is reminiscent of a diss track, very BTS-esque if you ask me. With such popularity, it is only reasonable for the group to accumulate such hate, and off the bat, the title “Pass the MIC” implies one thing: that they have spoken and are ready for us, the fans, to respond. Not only do the boys sing about those who have disliked them over the years, but they also mention that they are emerging into a new era. Jungwon begins by shouting, “‘Walk the line’ I hate that line.” The group’s concept started off in BORDER: DAY ONE with “Intro: Walk the Line,” with a somewhat dark vampire fantasy. 

future perfect #enhypen_jay pic.twitter.com/pIP7GY452w

— ً (@albumjay) July 6, 2022

Regardless of the complexities within the group’s MV storylines, there has always been a certain air about the group, which made their music easily distinguishable. Following the path created for them based on their debut, which raked in the fans and profits, held them back from trying to emerge from that mold.

ENHYPEN continues to reference moments from their early careers in the song’s lyrics, such as the line, “I got pushed, pushed, tteomillyeo wasseo,” which translates into “I got pushed, pushed and swept up,” the famous first line in their I-LAND theme song “Into the I-LAND” – the members’ starting point. While they have endured being connected to I-LAND for so long now, they are trying to sever their newfound identity from their former inexperienced selves. The intensity of “Future Perfect” contradicts the gentle meaning of those initial lyrics. 

Furthermore, Niki references their other title tracks when he raps, “Tagged given & tamed/All passive voices/Kill the past, just get lost.” Both “Given-Taken” and “Tamed-Dashed” are mentioned in these lines, and Niki does not hesitate to imply that they will no longer be following in the tracks of their previous music. Instead, “Future Perfect” utilizes the drill music genre. Following the release of the comeback, mixed reviews began to emerge, some of which enjoyed the shift that the group moved in, with some others openly criticizing its title track. 

While it is certainly a new direction for the group, some were skeptical of whether or not following the drill sub-genre would set a dangerous precedent for other K-pop groups, potentially using more aspects of black culture and perpetuating the cultural appropriation that has been large in the industry rather than sticking to general pop.

crazy how antis are already looking down on future perfect and enhypen for this comeback. enhypen was entrusted by awesome producers to do a chicago drill-song; they can rap, they are artists. enha will pull it off 🙂

— shy ⚔️ (@enhawtl) June 29, 2022

Many have reminisced on ENHYPEN’s past music, wishing that they had stuck to certain sounds like “Tamed-Dashed” or “Drunk-Dazed,” but this shift in concept is exactly what the group aimed to do. The group wanted to break free from the image that their trainee selves ENHYPEN stayed loyal to its style with the EP’s b-sides “TFW (That Feeling When),” “ParadoXXX Invasion,” “Foreshadow,” and “SHOUT OUT.” However, each of them manage to convey the overall message of change that the group wanted to put out.

Upon hearing the mini-album preview for the comeback, I immediately fell in love with the different styles reflected in the new additions to ENHYPEN’s discography. The diversity in their music choices reveals many of the group’s undisclosed talents, such as Sunghoon and Jungwon’s rapping ability, their ability to pull off pop-rock concepts perfectly, and duality between groovy R&B tracks and lighthearted love songs. 

In MANIFESTO: DAY 1, “SHOUT OUT” stood out as the member’s true calling. Not only is the rock-inspired beat addictive and bittersweet, but the lyrics reflect a different angle to the album’s overall message: more tender and heartfelt. The verses reflect how the group has been conflicted with their perception of themselves, which has fluctuated due to how the public has reacted to their presence in the industry. 

They sing, “I’m getting sick of all kinds of people’s words/Who on earth defines myself?/The fake paradigm that locked me up/Beyond the borderline drawn by someone,” which reflects how they have lost their path. In a way, the “borderline” which they drew themselves as a part of a concept has turned into a barrier that prevents them from moving forward with their careers, and the group utilizes this song as a means of communicating their frustration. 

While I could go on and on about the significance of every lyric, their collective sentiment expresses a desire to change and grow, which is fitting for a group of boys who debuted as teens and are now entering adulthood. Despite many mixed reactions to this comeback, ENHYPEN is showing the world that they are ready to tackle something new. Fans are anticipating that they will proceed to release more thought-provoking and self-inspiring tracks that will build upon their already impressive discography.