"Our love for ENGENEs will never cease to stop," ENHYPEN's Jake shares with Bandwagon.

The feeling is visibly mutual as ENGENEs went all out to support ENHYPEN's sophomore album, ROMANCE: UNTOLD. The first in their UNTOLD era, the new album broke ENHYPEN's own sales record selling over 1.88 million copies in its first week.

Two weeks ahead of their highly anticipated album drop, the I-LAND alums found some time to have a chat with us despite their packed and busy schedules. In this exclusive interview, HEESEUNG, JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOON, SUNOO, JUNGWON, and NI-KI share the stories behind the songs they worked on for their latest album, their growing bond with ENGENEs, Southeast Asia having a special place in their hearts, and more.

You’ve come a long way from winning I-LAND to topping charts and selling out venues as ENHYPEN today. What would you tell your younger selves (pre-debut) knowing what you know now?

SUNGHOON: I would like to tell myself, "Just do your best as you always have. You can accomplish anything, so be confident in whatever you do."

Since your I-LAND days, Southeast Asia has always been a special place for ENHYPEN. What have been your favourite moments with your Southeast Asian fans so far? 

SUNOO: During our last MANIFESTO tour, we performed for three consecutive nights in Manila. ENGENEs from the Philippines and across Southeast Asia came to see us, and we all had non-stop fun together. Those moments filled with energy and excitement from ENGENEs’ cheers remain one of my most treasured memories to this day.

With each album release, more members have been becoming more involved in the music — from producing to composing and more. What has motivated the members to take a more active role in creating the songs?

JUNGWON: All of our members have always been eager to participate in the songwriting process, and starting with this album, we were able to take on a more active role alongside our producers. I think our desire to share the music we create with ENGENEs drives us to push ourselves even harder in our musical endeavours.

In your latest album, ROMANCE: UNTOLD, ENHYPEN "want to fulfil ENGENEs wishes if they allow them to, creating a unique and special kind of love." How would you describe your growing relationship with ENGENEs and how would you like to continue cultivating your love for each other?

JAKE: Our bond with ENGENEs and the love we share for each other continues to grow stronger every day. Each time we drop a new album or perform on stage, ENGENEs’ overwhelming reactions and cheers deepen our affection for them even more. Our love for ENGENEs will never cease to stop.

Tell us about your title track, 'XO (If Only You Say Yes)'.

NI-KI: Filming the concept cinema, which tied into the theme of our lead single 'XO (Only If You Say Yes),' was the most memorable part of this project. The overarching concept was ‘vampire romance,’ so we all put a lot of thought into the kind of boyfriends we wanted to portray. I fully immersed myself in the role thinking, ‘I will protect this love at all costs, even if it means risking my life.’ If you look at the battle scene, especially during the gunfire sequence, you might get a sense of what I was going for. We all dedicated ourselves to conveying our emotions vividly so that ENGENEs could feel them as they watched.

You've reunited with 'Bite Me' producer Cirkut for 'Brought The Heat Back'. What's this song all about?

JAY: 'Brought The Heat Back' has a funky, disco vibe and is one of my personal favourites from the album. I was particularly excited when I heard it was produced by Cirkut, who also produced our song 'Bite Me' last year. I think it will be a perfect concert song - one that ENGENEs can jump around to and just have fun with us.

JUNGWON, you're credited as a composer for 'Hundred Broken Hearts'. Tell us about that experience.

JUNGWON: I really love the genre of 'Hundred Broken Hearts,' which combines old-school vibes with R&B. It immediately caught my attention because it fits my taste so well, making the whole process of writing the topline even more enjoyable.

The seven of you worked together on the lyrics for your first fan song, 'Highway 1009,' making it even more special for ENGENEs.

HEESEUNG, what inspired you to go in this direction for the song?

HEESEUNG: 'Highway 1009' is a song that we all enjoyed working on so much that it just came together very naturally. It’s my first song to put out to ENGENEs, and it’s a song fully dedicated to them. All our members contributed to its creation, sharing our heartfelt stories we hope to convey through the lyrics. I’m incredibly proud of the song that came out as a result of the team’s collaborative effort and enjoyment.

What was it like working together on a song in this way?

JUNGWON: Since every member contributed to the lyrics, 'Highway 1009' holds immense meaning for us. All seven of us penned the lyrics with ENGENEs in mind, and it was interesting to see how uniquely we each expressed our shared feelings of love.

JAY: Recording this song brought me so much happiness. Above all, I was grateful to sing a song that expresses my deep appreciation for ENGENEs. It was truly a special and memorable experience.

JAKE: When I wrote the lyrics, I aimed to capture not just my thoughts but also our relationship with ENGENEs as I see it. In the second verse, there’s a line JUNGWON wrote that goes, "I’ll be your ENGENE now," which really resonated and lingered with me.

SUNGHOON: 'Highway 1009' is a deeply meaningful song as it was created with ideas and lyrics from all seven members. The fact that HEESEUNG’s self-composed song was completed with our collective input and is solely dedicated to ENGENEs makes it even more special.

SUNOO: I spent a lot of time thinking about how to express my gratitude to ENGENEs. Reflecting on how ENGENEs were the ones who supported me even through the most challenging times, I wrote the lyrics with utmost sincerity.

NI-KI: I crafted the lyrics with the earnest hope that ENGENEs would be with us forever. Being our first fan song, it was important for me to convey my profound gratitude to ENGENEs, a sentiment echoed by all our members. “Highway 1009” will undoubtedly hold a special place in the hearts of both us and ENGENEs.

Listen to ROMANCE: UNTOLD here.