The K-pop scene is abuzz with the latest concept photos from EVNNE. These photos are for their debut mini-album, Target: ME. These photos, featuring the members in a cozy-looking home, were meant to showcase their youthful chemistry and set the stage for their much-anticipated debut.
EVNNE 1st Mini Album
[Target: ME]Concept Photo#EVNNE #이븐#Target_ME#20230919_6PM pic.twitter.com/doiBCZf12x
— EVNNE (@EVNNE_official) August 23, 2023
A promotional schedule is also out, giving fans a glimpse of what to expect in the coming weeks.
EVNNE 1st Mini Album
[Target: ME]Promotion Schedule
🎯 2023. 09. 19 6PM (KST)#EVNNE #이븐#Target_ME#20230919_6PM pic.twitter.com/fhSIoUEhyz
— EVNNE (@EVNNE_official) August 23, 2023
However, instead of pure excitement, a cloud of controversy now hangs over the group’s debut.
What is EVNNE to do?
EVNNE’s agency Jellyfish Entertainment initially slated the group’s debut for September 18, 2023. The gravity of September 18 in Chinese history is profound. On this day in 1932, a train track near Mukden, China, exploded. The Japanese were behind the explosion and attempted to frame Chinese nationalists for it. This incident became the catalyst for Japan’s subsequent invasion of Manchuria and other parts of China. For Chinese nationals, September 18 is a day of remembrance and silent reflection, observed solemnly across the nation.
EVNNE 1st Mini Album
[Target: ME]Concept Photo#케이타 #KEITA#EVNNE #이븐#Target_ME#20230919_6PM pic.twitter.com/xx06cIcMJn
— EVNNE (@EVNNE_official) August 24, 2023
EVNNE 1st Mini Album
[Target: ME]Concept Photo#박한빈 #PARKHANBIN #EVNNE #이븐#Target_ME#20230919_6PM pic.twitter.com/hYjTPpJugn
— EVNNE (@EVNNE_official) August 24, 2023
EVNNE 1st Mini Album
[Target: ME]Concept Photo#이정현 #LEEJEONGHYEON #EVNNE #이븐#Target_ME#20230919_6PM pic.twitter.com/740Au3v0e1
— EVNNE (@EVNNE_official) August 24, 2023
The decision to debut EVNNE on such a historically charged date was met with immediate backlash. Chinese fans, feeling that Jellyfish Entertainment’s decision disregards their history, have started boycotting the group. With a considerable segment of EVNNE‘s fanbase based in China, the demand for a date change is not just about historical reverence but also about the group’s potential success in the Chinese market.
EVNNE 1st Mini Album
[Target: ME]Concept Photo#유승언 #YOOSEUNGEON#EVNNE #이븐#Target_ME#20230919_6PM pic.twitter.com/ng49LCW086
— EVNNE (@EVNNE_official) August 24, 2023
EVNNE 1st Mini Album
[Target: ME]Concept Photo#지윤서 #JIYUNSEO#EVNNE #이븐#Target_ME#20230919_6PM pic.twitter.com/2Wc4vNd38C
— EVNNE (@EVNNE_official) August 24, 2023
EVNNE 1st Mini Album
[Target: ME]Concept Photo#문정현 #MUNJUNGHYUN#EVNNE #이븐#Target_ME#20230919_6PM pic.twitter.com/7bFL7SqzkK
— EVNNE (@EVNNE_official) August 24, 2023
EVNNE, a collab between Rain Company, WAKEONE, and Yuehua Entertainment, operates under the Jellyfish Entertainment banner. The group is composed of notable Boys Planet contestants, such as Keita, Ji Yunseo, Lee Jeonghyeon, Park Hanbin, Park Jihoo, Mun Junghyun, and Yoo Seungeon.
EVNNE 1st Mini Album
[Target: ME]Concept Photo#박지후 #PARKJIHOO#EVNNE #이븐#Target_ME#20230919_6PM pic.twitter.com/JI7RvOZela
— EVNNE (@EVNNE_official) August 24, 2023
As of this writing, Jellyfish Entertainment has yet to acknowledge the backlash. Stay tuned for any updates. – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: What will Jellyfish Entertainment decide? Source: Twitter/@EVNNE_official.