As a way to give back some of the love their fans have showered them with, the seven-member boy group ENHYPEN made a surprise appearance on M Countdown. This wasn’t just any performance; they debuted “Criminal Love,” a second song from the soundtrack of HYBE’s original webtoon Dark Moon: Altar of the Moon.

Released just last month, the lyrics of “Criminal Love” paint a vivid picture of a dangerous love, one that’s continuously yearned for despite a recurring cruel fate. The song is more than just lyrics and music; it’s an experience. With ENHYPEN‘s slick choreography and strong vocals, it’s not surprising the song has garnered so much attention.

Before “Criminal Love” hit streaming services (and before the boys performed it on M Countdown), fans got a sneak peek at the song during ENHYPEN‘s second world tour. Held on the 29th and 30th of the previous month, the choreography of the song elicited enthusiastic cheers from the crowd at the KSPO Dome. Such was the impact of this performance that “Criminal Love” dominated social media real-time trends in South Korea for two consecutive days. Moreover, on the day of the song’s official release, its title and the septet’s name snagged the 2nd and 4th spots on Melon’s real-time search, indicating an explosive response from fans.

ENHYPEN is marking a new roadmap for K-pop

In K-pop, it’s quite rare for an artist to perform a song outside of their album activities on a music show. But ENHYPEN isn’t your run-of-the-mill group. They combined the music and story IP for the soundtrack of Dark Moon: Altar of the Moon. They also incorporated it into the mini album DARK BLOOD. This innovative approach solidified their unique color in the industry. In essence, the boys are marking a new roadmap for K-pop.

As of this writing, ENHYPEN is gearing up for a series of shows in Japan. After hitting the Kyocera Dome on September 2 and 3, they’ll make history with their Tokyo Dome concerts on September 13 and 14. Heeseung, Jake, Jay, Jungwon, Ni-Ki, Sunghoon, and Sunoo will set a new record for the shortest time it has taken a K-pop boy group to perform at Tokyo Dome since debut.

That achievement alone proves that ENHYPEN‘s journey, marked by their unique approach to their craft, continues to captivate fans worldwide. Meanwhile, their performance of “Criminal Love” on M Countdown is a testament to their growing influence in the world of K-pop. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: ENGENEs went wild over the boys’ ‘Criminal Love’ debut on M Countdown. Source: YouTube/@Mnet.