“FUEL THE FEVER”

At 8 pm on April 11, just as the sun was setting, bold red letters lit up the screen at the Sahara Stage, standing in the middle of a grassy field at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. It marked the moment ENHYPEN took the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (Coachella), held over two weekends from April 11–13 to April 18–20. The show opened with the explosive electric guitar sounds of “Blockbuster,” followed by a rearranged version of “Blessed-Cursed” that highlighted booming drum beats, and then “Future Perfect (Pass the MIC),” which used towering steel structures and dynamic movement to create a visually dazzling performance that ignited the crowd early on.

“We wanted the first three songs to make a strong impact with powerful sound and performance, to firmly establish ENHYPEN’s presence,” said Yim Hyokyoung, Part Leader of the Artists and Repertoire Team at BELIFT LAB, explaining how the group’s Coachella set was designed. Given Coachella’s structure—featuring over 150 acts across seven stages from early afternoon until late at night—many attendees are there simply to enjoy the festival atmosphere. “Whereas a solo concert focuses on delivering a polished full performance, for Coachella, we scaled back some of the choreography and added more space for the members to act and interact with the audience, so that they could truly enjoy themselves on stage,” added Kim Subin from BELIFT LAB’s Performance Directing Team. This approach highlighted the uniqueness of a festival stage compared to a solo show. While showcasing K-pop’s hallmark of tight group choreography, ENHYPEN also incorporated freer gestures and moments of spontaneity to engage the crowd. During the final segment of “ParadoXXX Invasion,” the members followed NI-KI’s lead in a dance battle alongside 12 local dancers, delivering a fierce and captivating display. For “Paranormal,” they encouraged clapping and sing-alongs, even moving closer to the audience and locking eyes with fans, commanding the stage with ease. As the energy built, the crowd grew louder—singing along to title tracks like “XO (Only If You Say Yes)” and “Sweet Venom.” By the time they performed their most recent track “Daydream,” the fans’ chants echoed so loudly it felt like a Korean music show recording.

Before the performance began, the area in front of the Sahara Stage was already filling with ENGENE holding light sticks, hand fans printed with the members’ faces, and photo cards. Some fans were even explaining who ENHYPEN was to the friends they had brought along. “My friends didn’t know much about ENHYPEN before, but after watching the performance, they said the stage was amazing and that they wanted to check out more of their songs,” said Danielle, who came to Coachella with friends to see the show. Just like her, some people discover a new side of an artist through Coachella. “There are so many K-pop fans in California—it’s not just Asian communities, but people from all backgrounds. So even if you don’t speak Korean, you can still go and enjoy ENHYPEN’s music and K-pop together.” As Danielle pointed out, fans waved their light sticks, cheered for ENHYPEN, and even danced along to the live band arrangements, not even needing to know the lyrics. Felicia, who identified herself as an ENGENE, shared, “The setlist was packed with high-energy songs, so it was really fun to dance and enjoy it all together!”

“Since Coachella is a global festival that brings together audiences of various nationalities, ethnicities, and tastes, we rearranged the songs using familiar genres like rock, EDM, and live band sounds so that even first-time listeners of ENHYPEN’s music could easily get into it,” explained Yim Hyokyoung, A&R Part Leader at BELIFT LAB. In line with Yim’s words, ENHYPEN performed the entire set with live band arrangements, aiming to fully capture the spirit of the festival. That’s also why the members’ live vocals held even greater significance. “In the strong winds and dry air, we had to think about both live singing and performance at the same time, so we couldn’t afford to let our guard down,” said SUNOO. The challenge of keeping the right balance between connecting with the audience, delivering choreography, and singing live in Coachella’s dusty desert climate wasn’t an easy one. JAY added, “Because of the unique weather conditions and same-day rehearsals, there were last-minute changes to the set, and a lot we had to discuss on-site.” Despite the pressure, the members carried on calmly, even as the energy among the crowd kept rising. “At outdoor festivals, live vocals really matter. It must’ve been a lot to handle, but their vocals were seriously on point,” said Danielle, an ENGENE. This calm execution was the result of their run-through rehearsals held on the outskirts of Los Angeles, where the members practiced at full volume, adjusting their vocal technique and projection, led by HEESEUNG. Reflecting on that process, HEESEUNG shared, “Honestly, I don’t remember that moment exactly because I was so focused on the practice. But what I do know is that there are always unexpected variables with live shows, so I always try to prepare as best I can.”

According to Yim Hyokyoung, the members “actively communicated with the staff throughout every stage of the process, from arrangements to rehearsals and idea meetings.” JAKE also shared a behind-the-scenes moment, saying, “We discussed so many ideas and adjusted the details while preparing for Coachella. Considering the band arrangement, I thought ‘Moonstruck’ would fit well, so I suggested we include it in the setlist.” Coordinating with the local dancer team and band, who were with them from the opening to the closing of the performance, was another key challenge. According to Performance Directing Team Leader Kim Subin, the dance break in “ParadoXXX Invasion,” led by NI-KI, was “a part that he also contributed ideas to and worked on together.” NI-KI himself shared, “The energy of the local dancers was so amazing that even when we were exhausted during practice, I felt re-energized by them.” He also expressed his gratitude toward the dancers. SUNGHOON added, “We communicated our ideas actively while preparing for the Coachella stage, and I believe those elements were well reflected, leading to a satisfying performance.” Since starting their first world tour ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR ‘MANIFESTO’ in SEOUL at the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in 2022 and gradually expanding the scale of their performances to include stadiums in the U.S. and Japan, ENHYPEN’s countless festival and concert experiences shone brightly on the Coachella stage as well.

Following the performance of “Moonstruck,” which focused on the members’ vocals while maintaining the essence of the original track, ENHYPEN raised the energy again with their performance of “Bite Me,” which emphasized the unique K-pop performance style. They further elevated the atmosphere during their performance of “Drunk-Dazed,” rearranged with an EDM sound, actively interacting with the audience and creating an exciting environment where everyone could jump along to the music. “Okay, Coachella, it’s our last one. Put your hands up!” The final track, “Brought The Heat Back,” which began with JAKE’s shout, featured group choreography and a dance break, marking the explosive climax and conclusion of the performance. According to Kim Subin, this arrangement was intentional to bring out ENHYPEN’s strong performance advantage, as the energy of the performance increased with each song, distinguishing them and raising the intensity. Megan, who revealed that ENHYPEN was her first-ever K-pop group, mentioned the dance break in “Brought The Heat Back” as the most memorable moment. She shared her thoughts, saying, “I would give it a perfect 100 out of 100,” and reflected on the lasting impression of watching the performance: “I feel like K-pop has now become a global sensation. I think Korea is really showing its presence in the global music market. U.S. audiences are getting more and more enthusiastic about K-pop groups and solo artists.” Emily, who described herself as a 10-year K-pop fan and an ENGENE, shared her thoughts on ENHYPEN’s Coachella stage: “It’s so amazing that K-pop, which used to be music that people would ask, ‘What’s that?’ is now proudly taking the stage at major festivals.”

One of the most talked-about artists of 2024, Sabrina Carpenter, owed much of her success to the buzz generated by her performance at Coachella the day after the release of her new song, “Espresso.” This is why Coachella is seen as such a significant opportunity for artists worldwide. With over 200,000 attendees each year and live-streamed on YouTube, participating in Coachella allows artists to leave a lasting impression on music fans globally. This year, influential artists like Lady Gaga, Benson Boone, and Charli xcx also participated. As one of the artists performing at Coachella, ENHYPEN also demonstrated their talents to music fans worldwide. After their performance, the hashtag “ENCHELLA” (ENHYPEN + Coachella) trended globally at number one on X (formerly Twitter). According to X’s “@music,” posts related to Coachella on X numbered around 2.5 million, with a cumulative view count of 1.2 billion. Among them, ENHYPEN was the fifth most-mentioned artist of the year at Coachella, following Megan Thee Stallion, Charli xcx, Lady Gaga, and T-Pain. Their Coachella performance proved that it was not just an appearance but a significant moment that generated tremendous buzz. ENHYPEN’s leader, JUNGWON, shared his thoughts on the opportunity of performing at Coachella, hinting at what they hoped to achieve: “If we can prove something at Coachella, I believe it could become a key momentum that fuels ENHYPEN’s next leap of growth.”

Today’s K-pop might be just one of many acts that Coachella audiences stumble upon amid the festival’s packed schedule—but at the same time, it has grown into a genre capable of drawing fans to massive festivals like Coachella with deep emotional engagement. Samantha, who confessed she still cries every year on the anniversary of ENHYPEN’s debut, shared, “It was such a beautiful performance and an unforgettable experience,” lingering around the Sahara Stage long after the show ended. Maria, who watched the performance alongside Emily and Samantha, introduced herself as “an ENGENE who’s been voting for ENHYPEN since their ‘I-LAND’ days.” From proving themselves through a survival show to now standing atop a steel platform in the middle of the desert, shouting the words—“I wanna stand on my own feet / Everything else is meaningless / Bring out my real voice / And draw our futurе”—ENHYPEN has come a long way, accompanied by countless ENGENE along the journey. In that moment, both ENHYPEN and their fans completed the arc of self-proving that began with I-LAND, now on the grand stage of one of the world’s most iconic festivals.

ENHYPEN’s Coachella Memories
JUNGWON: At first, I was really nervous, but I also felt it was such a great opportunity for us as artists. When we got on stage, I was surprised to see so many light sticks in the crowd—it gave me so much strength. Since it’s a festival, I really tried to connect and interact with the people there. After finishing our first-week performance, I watched the footage right away, and seeing how much ENGENE loved it made me even more determined to do better for the second week. I just want to say thank you to all the ENGENE and everyone who watched our performance. It was truly an honor to hear cheers from the crowd on such a huge stage like Coachella. We’ll keep doing our best to bring even more amazing performances in the future.

HEESEUNG: When I first heard that we’d be performing at Coachella, I was so excited. I thought it would be a great opportunity for ENHYPEN—and honestly, I felt like it would be a lot of fun, too. I’m really happy that we were able to put on a strong performance, especially with so many people cheering us on. There were definitely moments when we felt tired from balancing our schedule and rehearsals, but going through that process made the outcome even more rewarding. I feel proud of what we accomplished. I’m so thankful to ENGENE for always giving us such great energy. We’re not stopping with Coachella—we’re working on even more things to show you, so I hope you’ll keep looking forward to what’s next.

JAY: It was such an incredible honor to perform on the Coachella stage—a stage that so many artists dream of. From the weather to the entire prep process, it was a very different environment compared to the performances we’ve done before, so we had to stay flexible and adapt a lot along the way. But in the end, it was such a fun experience, and I feel like we made really special memories. For me, this Coachella performance marked the start of a new chapter for ENHYPEN. I hope you’ll look forward to the journey ahead.

JAKE: Since it was such a highly anticipated stage for us, we spent a lot of time talking things through and preparing thoroughly as a team. One moment that really stands out was when we first got to the U.S. and practiced with the live band for the first time—it was such an exciting moment, and it made us look forward to the stage even more. The vibe on site was amazing, and overall, we just had a lot of fun! It felt great to be able to show ENHYPEN’s performance not only to ENGENE, but also to people who were seeing us for the first time. I hope the performance lived up to the expectations and that everyone who watched enjoyed it!

SUNGHOON: At first, I was a little worried, but I went into it with the mindset of “we can do this.” For the Coachella stage, my biggest priority was delivering solid live vocals while performing. Thanks to all the practice we put in, I actually felt more confident on stage and was able to enjoy singing live. I feel so proud that we were able to wrap up such a big performance without any major issues, especially knowing how much work everyone put into it. All those long hours of practice truly paid off. We were able to give a performance we’re proud of thanks to the incredible love and support from so many people. Thank you so much—it was truly an honor.

SUNOO: More than being worried, I saw this as an incredible opportunity, so I focused on practicing hard. I was so happy to see that the response was even better than I expected, and I’m proud that we were able to finish the performance without any mistakes! I really wanted to share good energy and show what ENHYPEN is all about while enjoying the stage. The fans had such a great time, and I could feel that energy, which helped me enjoy it even more too. I think a lot of people discovered ENHYPEN through this Coachella performance—if so, we’re so happy to have you with us! I truly believe this is just the beginning, and I hope you’ll stay with us for the journey ahead.

NI-KI: Since this was the largest festival we’ve participated in, I wanted to make sure our performance left a strong impact, even on those who might not be familiar with ENHYPEN yet. I’m relieved that our hard work paid off and we received such a warm response. Personally, I felt a sense of responsibility to ensure our performance highlighted the team’s collective effort, so I focused extra on elevating the quality. I’m really happy to hear that parts like the dance break and the opening sequence at Coachella made such an impression. Through this Coachella stage, I hope people saw how ENHYPEN can showcase a wide range of versatility. Our comeback is just around the corner, so I hope you’ll continue to support us with even more excitement and anticipation!