[EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] EVNNE Breaks Down Their HOT MESS — How Growth, Chaos, and Teamwork Made It Shine

In this exclusive interview, EVNNE opens up about their [HOT MESS] era, revealing the creative process behind their boldest release yet.

EVNNE is back and bolder than ever with their fourth mini album, [HOT MESS.] Since their debut in 2023, the seven-member group—KEITA, PARK HANBIN, YOO SEUNGEON, MUN JUNGHYUN, PARK JIHOO, JI YUNSEO, and LEE JEONGHYEON—has built a reputation for their electrifying performances and hands-on approach to music. [HOT MESS], released on February 10, 2025, perfectly captures their dynamic energy and undeniable talent. Led by the explosive title track of the same name, the album is a bold statement of confidence, blending intense beats with emotionally charged storytelling. True to form, EVNNE took an active role in crafting this release, with members YOO SEUNGEON, PARK JIHOO, JI YUNSEO, and KEITA contributing to the songwriting and composition, further solidifying their artistic identity.

From the nostalgic warmth of “Youth” to the refreshing allure of “Love Like That” and the anthemic grandeur of “CROWN,” [HOT MESS] showcases the versatility that sets EVNNE apart. Their ability to seamlessly shift between hard-hitting anthems and sentimental melodies proves why they are one of the most exciting acts in fifth-generation K-Pop. Their hard work and passion paid off as “HOT MESS” secured EVNNE their first music show win of this era on Music Bank, marking yet another milestone in their ever-evolving journey. With each comeback, the group continues to defy expectations, solidifying their place as a group to watch. 

In this exclusive interview with EVNNE, we explore the making of [HOT MESS], their creative process, and what this era means to them. From the stories behind the songs to their growth as artists, the group opens up about their journey, challenges, and dreams for the future. Keep reading as EVNNE shares their thoughts on the album and what’s next for them.

Hellokpop: First off, congratulations on the release of [HOT MESS]! This marks your fourth mini album—what was the most exciting part of preparing for [HOT MESS], and how did you stay connected with your fans during the wait?

PARK HANBIN: I think the part I was most excited about while preparing the album was the fans’ reactions. They are always surprised when we try new things and take on new challenges. During the preparation period, we constantly communicated with fans through events, season’s greetings, fan signing events, and other opportunities to meet them.

YOO SEUNGEON: Since this is our first comeback in about 8 months, I thought a lot about different ways to show diverse concepts and our growth to our fans. Also, I studied various languages ​​in my free time to communicate with more fans.

MUN JUNGHYUN: While preparing for our fourth mini album [HOT MESS], I communicated with fans daily through the communication app and tried to raise fans’ expectations for the new album by showing them my selfies and photos without sharing too many spoilers.

PARK JIHOO: For this album, we came back with a concept different from the previous album. Personally, I thought that trying to look nice and act cool wouldn’t work as a genuine appeal to the public. But since this album’s concept was fun and it allowed us to share how sincerely we enjoy each stage with the audience, I was very thrilled to work on the album. During our hiatus, I mainly communicated with fans through Bubble (a communication app) by sharing my daily life, such as cooking for myself and working diligently.

HKP: This is your first comeback in 7 months since Ride or Die. How has your approach to music and creativity evolved during this time, and what new elements are you excited to share with fans on this album?

JI YUNSEO: Since the release of our previous album, we’ve met many ENNVEs through our America tour, fan meetings, and various events. We have received so much energy from our fans, and we were able to pour that energy back into this album. With those memories, we incorporated the passion we felt on the stage as well as the messages we wanted to convey to our fans in this album. We’re ready to present our skills and stage manners that we have developed with multiple performances, so please look forward to it!

YOO SEUNGEON: I think it’s worth noting that we’ve never expressed ourselves like this album before. From the beginning, the production team encouraged us to express ourselves freely in various aspects, including the choreography and music video filming. Also, KEITA, YUNSEO, JIHOO, and I participated in writing the lyrics and composing, and I can’t wait to present the album incorporating our input to fans!

HKP: Every release showcases a new side of EVNNE. What new elements of your image or sound do you feel shine through on [HOT MESS], and how does it differ from what you’ve shown before?

PARK HANBIN: [HOT MESS] is an album that captures EVNNE’s side of enjoying the moment even in chaotic situations. I think the ‘cheerfulness’ and ‘relaxedness’ of our members are well expressed through this album’s music and visuals. While our previous albums showcased our mischievous and passionate sides, I believe we’ll be able to send playful energy to everyone by performing freely on stage.

HKP: [HOT MESS] blends various genres like pop, R&B, and more. Is there a particular genre you feel suits EVNNE best or one you’d like to explore more in the future?

KEITA: We all like different genres of music, but if I were to view it from EVNNE’s perspective, I think music with free-spirited energy, such as hip-hop, rock, and punk, would suit us best.

LEE JEONGHYEON: I think EVNNE’s strength is that we can work with any genre of music with our own unique style. I think it’s crucial to bring out our unique color well in every genre we challenge rather than finding one genre that would best suit us.

The genre I want to try in the future is hip-hop, and I especially want to work on a song that is entirely rap.

JI YUNSEO: I don’t think there’s one genre that fits us best or a particular genre that I want to challenge in the future. As you mentioned in your question, I think our blending of various genres and charms in this album also proves my point. Of course, I think we excel in showcasing powerful performances with the concept of troublemakers or rascals. However, we are always eager to gift various kinds of joy to our fans by presenting innovative and diverse sides in each album, as well as to grow further musically. Therefore, we do not wish to limit ourselves to a particular genre or concept. Rather, we want to continue moving forward with various things that our fans can enjoy. Please look forward to our new sides coming up in the future!

HKP: The concept of [HOT MESS] embraces the beauty in messy situations with EVNNE’s unique style. How do you interpret ‘messy’ in the context of this album, and how is that reflected in the overall vibe?

PARK JIHOO: In this album, we showcase ‘chaos’ through unpredictable or uncertain sides. From the chaotic visuals of the Sowing ver. and Splatter ver. concept photos to the new music styles we’re trying and the ever-changing choreography of “HOT MESS” on each stage, we’ve prepared an album that’s hard to predict but enjoyable. We’ve reflected the concept of ‘chaos’ in many aspects, making it something fans can look forward to.

HKP: The members have been involved in the creative process of each album. What is the one thing you’re most proud of contributing to [HOT MESS]? Whether in the writing, the production, or the concept, what part of the album feels like your personal stamp?

KEITA: For this album, I produced the Korean version of “KESHIKI.” I am proud to produce a song that represents my thoughts and ideas well. Also, this song has a Japanese version and a Korean version, and I think I have grown as a composer and lyricist because I was able to create a song that can be sung in two different languages.

YOO SEUNGEON: First of all, the part I’m most proud of is participating in writing the lyrics for the new title track and writing the lyrics for the B-side track “Youth” on my own! It makes me really happy that I could express my personal experiences through the lyrics and offer comfort to our fans. I feel a step closer to becoming the kind of artist I’ve always aimed to be: someone who brings comfort and solace.

JI YUNSEO: I also participated in writing the lyrics for this album. I contributed my opinions on the music video outfits, getting involved in the smallest details. Additionally, I collaborated with the company to discuss and organize the album concept elements and the comments to explain the album. It feels like the more I participate in these aspects, the more I become involved with each comeback. It also makes me realize that ‘all the efforts and thoughts I’ve put into this have been worthwhile, and I’m moving in the right direction.’ I hope you all look forward to the various sides I’ll continue to show in the future. 

PARK JIHOO: Actually, my participation did not take up a lot of time when writing lyrics for this album. However, I feel like I’m growing in a creative direction, so I believe that one day, I’ll be able to write lyrics, compose music, and create choreography.

HKP: What were some of the most memorable moments or challenges you faced while filming the music video, and how did you ensure it captured the song’s vibe?

PARK HANBIN: The most memorable moment was when I was filming a scene where I was partying and having fun with the extra cast in the music video. I felt so embarrassed and shy before we started filming that scene, but once we got to work, I saw myself having so much fun. 

LEE JEONGHYEON: The most memorable moment was when we all stood in a circle in front of a cake and danced. I remember being so happy while laughing together as we all kept dancing to one part of the song in a loop.

MUN JUNGHYUN: The music video for the “HOT MESS” music video literally expresses chaos. Even amidst the mess, we made an effort to highlight each of our individual characters while conveying that sense of chaos.

HKP: If the concept of [HOT MESS] were a member of EVNNE, who would fit the role the best, and why?

KEITA: I think it’s Jihoo. Jihoo always seems to enjoy any situation freely and forge his path with his own unique ideas.

PARK HANBIN: It would be Jihoo. This song is a bit bouncy and exciting, which I think the TikTok generation and the MZ generation would like. I think Jihoo can capture that mood best.

LEE JEONGHYEON: I think it’s Jihoo because he usually thinks positively even when something bad or unexpected happens to him. Either he tries to enjoy the given situation or easily forgets and shakes it off, so he fits perfectly with the concept of our new album.

YOO SEUNGEON: I believe the charming yet playful vibes suit Jihoo, our youngest member, very well. The choreography was even more enjoyable because it had a free-spirited vibe.

JI YUNSEO: I would choose myself. The message we wanted to convey in this album is, ‘Let’s enjoy even the chaotic situation.’ I recently set my new life goal as, ‘Let’s live a romantic, fun, and cool life. ‘ So, if we were to express this concept as one of the members, I think I would be the best fit since I can immerse myself in any situation and enjoy it more than anyone else.

MUN JUNGHYUN: I think it’s Seungeon. When I think about a chaotic and crazy member like this album, Seungeon is the first one that comes to my mind. In fact, during the music video shoot, Seungeon seemed the most happy.

PARK JIHOO: “HOT MESS” can be expressed as a ‘mess’ in Korean, so I think Hanbin would be the best fit for that. Hanbin always leaves something behind or loses his stuff.

HKP: Each track on [HOT MESS] brings something different. How would you describe the individual vibe of each song, and which one resonates most with your personal style?

KEITA: I would fit well with “CROWN,” the track with cool and powerful energy in this album. I think the energy from the rap part suits me the best.

PARK HANBIN: I felt like I fit very well with “CROWN.” It’s the song I can express most comfortably, both in vocals and performance. In this album, there are so many songs with various moods, so I remember recording each song while imagining the respective story or emotion.

LEE JEONGHYEON: In this album, I focus on using gestures and facial expressions to better convey the mood of each song, especially in my parts. Personally, I think “CROWN” suits me the best because it has a rap part, and I am a rapper in the group. I think the strong sound and mood are a perfect fit for me.

YOO SEUNGEON: I think I did a good job capturing the song’s mood and balancing the vocals in the title song, “HOT MESS.” I was able to show my strengths, which are directness and power.

JI YUNSEO: Since each song has a different vibe, I tried to practice and express each song in a way that the listeners can immerse themselves as much as possible. Among the songs in this album, the ones that are closest to my style are the energetic title song, “HOT MESS,” and a b-side track with a cool mood and fluttering emotion of learning about love, “Love Like That.” I also participated in writing the lyrics for “Love Like That,” so I hope you all listen to it!

MUN JUNGHYUN: All the songs on this album express different moods and themes, and we’ve all worked hard to capture the essence of each track. Among them, the fourth track, “CROWN,” is a very intense and cool song, and I feel like it best suits me.

PARK JIHOO: We focused most heavily on the title track because we wanted to show how much fun we can have. As for the song that suits me the best, it would be “CROWN” because it’s centered around rap, and I think my rap tone matches the song well.

HKP: Looking back, what’s something you once thought was impossible on your journey as EVNNE, but now you’re proud to say you accomplished?

KEITA: I always wanted to meet fans in many countries through tours and other opportunities, and I never considered it impossible. I was so happy to meet many people and achieve my dream through opportunities like the Asia tour, the U.S. tour, and fan meetings. I want to visit more in the future and see fans on bigger stages.

PARK HANBIN: It’s not easy to win first place on a music show or receive an award at an awards ceremony, so those have always been my dreams. I was very proud to be able to experience and achieve such amazing events as EVNNE.

LEE JEONGHYEON: I never expected that we would win first place on a music show, but we achieved that goal at a fairly early time in our career, so I was so proud of our members. I was glad that we didn’t give up and kept trying.

PARK JIHOO: I always make plans for the year (ahead) when the new year starts. Last year’s plan included winning first place on a music show, and there was nothing I thought to be impossible. I believed I could do it, and I achieved my goal by winning first place on a music show with our second mini-album.

HKP: How do you envision your fans experiencing this album? Is there a specific emotion or memory you hope they’ll take away after hearing it?

YOO SEUNGEON: I think fans will be able to see a more mature and playful side of EVNNE enjoying the stage. Personally, since I tend to get nervous, I want to show a side of myself that’s more relaxed and not as tense!

JI YUNSEO: Through this album, I want to create memories that our ENNVEs can enjoy and have fun with us and that they can look back on later and laugh while reminiscing.

MUN JUNGHYUN: I think fans will be able to feel a very different side of EVNNE through this album. I guarantee that through this album, you will be able to realize that ‘EVNNE is capable of so many things’ or ‘EVNNE knows how to enjoy the stage to a great level.’

HKP: Lastly, please leave a message for fans reading this.

EVNNE: Hi, HELLOKPOP readers, this is EVNNE! We’re so happy to be back with our mini album, [HOT MESS], and to be able to meet you all again. Since this is our long-awaited comeback, we’ll do our best to meet you as often as possible through our stages and the upcoming concert ‘2025 EVNNE CONCERT SET N GO’! Please look forward to it. Thank you!

Listen to EVNNE’s discography on Spotify or Apple Music.

Connect with the members of EVNNE on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, or YouTube.

*Special thanks to the members of EVNNE, Jellyfish Entertainment, and Helix Publicity for this exclusive interview.

Image and Video Credits: Jellyfish Entertainment