I hate it when people are nonchalant. 

As someone who is very passionate and loud about their interests, I’ve experienced weird looks and rude comments simply because I have a hobby. So, nothing makes me angrier than when people act like they’re somehow superior because they pretend not to have a vested interest or commitment to anything. 

Thankfully, K-pop group ENHYPEN is not a perpetrator of this nonchalant attitude. This is quite the topic of discussion among fans; one member, Ni-ki, has a habit of being “fake nonchalant” while in reality, he is exactly the opposite. Fans will waste no time reminding everyone that his internet footprint incriminates him as a genuine, unapologetically cringy person. 

Given this context, I was extremely excited when I heard the teaser clip of the title track off their new album, The Sin: Vanish. This is because rather than pulling a sample from another artist’s song or a motivational speech, they decide to base the entire concept of their title track off of, I kid you not, an old Vine. (During the writing process, I noticed the sample also sounded similar to a meme from rapper 21 Savage. However, the first reference is the most likely, but neither has been confirmed by the group.) If you haven’t seen it, it’s a five-second clip of a woman saying to a toddler, “Let me see what you have,” to which the kid responds, “A knife!” The sample audio is not identical, but remarkably similar: an adult female voice asks, “What’s behind your back?” and a young male voice responds with, “It’s a, it’s a knife!” 

As far as I’m aware, quoting a Vine in a song, especially a title track, is a first in K-pop. This new album also comes with many more fun easter eggs like this, along with an addition to ENHYPEN’s complex and expansive folklore. Truly, I have never seen an album with as much content and commitment to the bit as The Sin: Vanish.

I would call myself a die-hard fan, but even I can’t keep up with all the new content ENHYPEN puts out, especially not the constant updates to their fictional origin story. But with this album, the musical tracks are interspersed with spoken narrative “interludes” to provide additional context to the story:

Their story is set in an alternate universe in which vampires exist, but are societally separated from humans, as both groups have a prejudice against one another. 

The story is set up in the first “interlude,” called “The Beginning:” A vampire, represented by ENHYPEN, falls in love with a human woman. Because relations between vampires and humans are not socially acceptable, they run away, or vanish, to live freely together in their sin. In response, the Vampire Pursuit Unit (VPU) goes after them. 

In “The Fugitives,” it is said they are doubted by the world, who believes their love will fail, but a sighting of the couple reveals they are laughing with one another, more in love than they’ve ever been before. 

“The Voice” begins with the line, “The voice you’ve been searching for may already be inside you,” and continues into an ad for a talking keychain plush sold on “vampirenow.live.” Funnily enough, this site actually exists, featuring dozens upon dozens of articles. These pieces span from health advice for vampires, fashion trends, and societal debates about love between vampires and humans, to a series of news updates documenting the story of these fugitive lovers. There are hundreds of thousands of words written on this site, so I highly recommend going to read it for yourself. My favorite easter eggs are the vampire-specific ads (ie. protein bars called “Blood Bites” with the motto “One bite, Full blood”) and a live stock market of the exchange rate of different blood types. 

The story continues in “Witnesses,” which consists of multiple interviews with those who interacted with the couple or heard about the story. All of them say how reckless they were to leave the good life they previously had to be together. 

I also want to mention that all the interludes and songs flow seamlessly into each other, with each track ending with a reference to the next song. For example, “Witnesses” ends with the line “They’re probably shaking with anxiety right now, maybe even crying,” which transitions into the song “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” This album was made to be listened to in one sitting, straight through, and I can say from personal experience that’s definitely the best way to enjoy The Sin: Vanish. 

The story ends with the final interlude, “The Beyond,” saying the couple eventually completely vanished, with both sightings as well as news updates from the VPU stopping. The album ends with this quote: “What fate awaits them? / The story begins to unfold / In an entirely new direction.”

*Some or all lyrics translated from Korean to English

As much as getting introspective and philosophical about the storyline that accompanies this album is fun, sometimes I just don’t have the brain power to think super deeply about a song every time I listen to it. So here’s what the music itself, without any extra storyline, of this album looks like. 

The title track, “Knife,” is one of the few rap-centered songs in ENHYPEN’s discography and is a drastic switch-up from the precedent set by the group thus far. As I mentioned earlier, it references an old Vine, repeating the phrase “It’s a knife, knife, knife, knife.” The “it” that the group is referring to is society’s efforts to break the fictional couple apart. It also has a second real-life meaning, for those who prey on the downfall of ENHYPEN themselves. They possess an air of effortlessness and ease in this track, especially in the chorus: *“Yeah, it just missed once or twicе / Nice try, but it felt too light / …You can try, but you’ll only hit air with your slice.” Given they recently won a Daesang at the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA), the K-pop equivalent of a Grammy, their overflowing confidence is well warranted. 

What’s unique about this title track is that it actually has nine different versions. Shortly after its initial release, both a full English version and seven other new interpretations, each produced by a different member of ENHYPEN, of “Knife” were put out. Along with this, a voice note from each member detailing the process of designing their individual track was included. My personal favorite is Jungwon’s Version, but all are specifically designed with different vibes and styles in mind, so I’d highly recommend listening to the remixes to find your personal favorite.

It’s also important to note this song’s captivating choreography, similar to another track on this album: “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” The song begins with a sample backed by intense drum-like synth: “My mama said, ‘Big girls don’t cry / It only hurts if you let it’ / These boys, they only want your heart / Because they wanting to break it, break it, break it.” The usage of samples is strongly rooted in R&B and hip-hop, foreshadowing the style of the track. Verse one is where we get the most context for the couple on the run from the authorities, saying, *“Put on my hoodie, let’s blend into the streets / Hold my hand tight, run out of the city / …We’re almost there, no questions, just stick with me.” In terms of vocal performance, this track is one of my favorites, as the group experiments with a lazy, woken-from-sleep tone quality. This, and the hint of autotune creeping in, contributes to the addictive lilt of the second verse, complementing the sweet sentiments that persist throughout the track: *“Come closer, cutie, just the two of us here / Lay your head on my shoulder, darling.” 

Whereas “Big Girls Don’t Cry” begins to play with this sleepy tone, “Stealer” brings it to the max. However, the highlight point is the pre-chorus, which instead uses bright, falsetto vocal tones. Not only do multiple of the members reach up to an impressive D6 in this section, but the production techniques especially contribute to the interest of the pre-chorus. 

First is the use of a low-pass filter (LPF). Also known as a high-cut filter, this is a common audio tool in music production that allows only the low-frequency sounds to pass through, excluding the high-frequency sounds. Essentially, it gives the“underwater” feel to a song. In “Stealer,” it is applied and then gradually lessened throughout the pre-chorus to build to the chorus. This supplements the repeated chord sequence used—G-major7, A-minor7, B-flat-major7—that finally resolves to the D-minor7. All these elements make “Stealer” a rare classic hip-hop addition to ENHYPEN’s discography.

While I consider The Sin: Vanish a no-skip album, these next three are by far my favorites. “Sleep Tight” is the first of ENHYPEN’s songs that Jake, the third-oldest member, participated in both lyric composition and production. Heeseung, the oldest member, also contributed to the songwriting process. As suggested by the title, this is sort of a lullaby for ENGENE (ENHYPEN’s fan base), saying “We hope you sleep well.” Jake spoke about this intention on Leemujin Service, a comfortable lounge-style singing show on YouTube. 

As someone who has struggled with sleep for the majority of their life, “Sleep Tight” is a sweet and meaningful song to me. It talks about the intimacy of knowing someone’s soul so thoroughly that no words are necessary; one look in her eyes and he can understand the complexities of all that she’s feeling: *“Trembling eyelashes, silently holding me steady / Even if you hide it, it shows / …Even without words, I know you, sleep tight, and I’m right here.” As this is the last song on the album, it ends the experience with a soothing goodbye, contrasting with the more intense hip-hop style at the beginning. 

“Lost Island” is another mellow track, at least in comparison to the first three I reviewed. However, like one of the high-energy songs, this penultimate track begins with the sample, also featuring feminist undertones: “Empty out those pockets, baby / You know I ain’t messin’ with no broke man.” In the midst of other K-pop artists being involved in scandals involving misogynistic lyrics, sexual misconduct, and other actions that put down women, ENHYPEN stands out as a group that respects and honors them. The way that they express these values in this album can be considered humorous, but the effort to include them is there nonetheless.  

As far as what the “Lost Island” is, it represents a “private paradise” where no one can judge the couple who ran away from society. Sweet sentiments like, *“I cherish every single moment / I’ll protect them so they never fade” and *“All the quarters, nickels and dimes / Keep them gathered so they don’t scatter / There’s nothing more precious than time, than time with you” further push home the message of this album: love stories aren’t cookie-cutter or copy-paste. Like real humans, or I guess vampires too, this tale represents a uniquely unconventional couple who go through their own individual challenges and grow stronger because of them. Not some picture-perfect fairytale romance, but two people who found each other and fought through the hardships together. And, above all, even vampire romance can be heartwarming. 

Oddly enough, this last song, “No Way Back (Feat. So!YoON!) is actually the opening track on The Sin: Vanish. However, I feel that its messages are perfect to end this review. The intro is sung by Sunoo, and I think no other member could have done it like him. Not only is the melody beautiful, but his warm voice takes well to the stylistic autotune used, along with an audio filter that makes his vocals sound like they’re coming from the back of a cave. This was quite intentional, as the music video also takes place in a cave to add further atmosphere to the lyrics: *“Now, brace yourself / I’ve chosen you as my destiny / Whatever the outcome may be / No way back now.” There’s a finality to these words; something is changing—maybe for better, maybe for worse—but this decision to run away is a clear end to one chapter and the beginning of another. Jake’s pre-chorus perfectly exemplifies the still present second-guessing, despite having made the final decision: “What if I’m dead wrong? / What if I’m your sin?”

While some of the songs on this album are in similar styles, “No Way Back (Feat. So!YoON!)” is completely set apart from the rest. Instead of a piano or some sort of guitar, a bright, metallic-sounding oscillating synth provides the chord progression for much of the track. So!YoOn! (Soyoon Hwang) already has a very bright tone of voice, but this is accentuated by an audio filter, making her voice sound like a synthesizer itself. For the duration of both choruses and the outro, she takes the harmony an octave above the melody line, pairing beautifully with the style of each member’s voice.