Former ENHYPEN member Heeseung, now promoting as EVAN, has revealed for the first time since becoming a singer that he was diagnosed with cancer as a child.
The deeply personal revelation came during a recent interview with Teen Vogue, when EVAN was asked about remaining true to himself through his music and what he had been like growing up. EVAN initially described himself as an energetic and mischievous child, recalling that he was “really scatterbrained,” constantly running around and something of a troublemaker.
However, the conversation suddenly took a much more serious turn when he revealed a part of his childhood that he had deliberately kept private throughout his career.
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“I think it’s time I talked about this. I haven’t brought this up since I became a singer, but in fourth grade, I was diagnosed with malignant lymphoma.”
EVAN explained that his first noticeable symptom was a persistent cough. At the time, however, neither the young singer nor those around him seemingly had reason to immediately suspect something so serious.
“I kept coughing, and at first I just figured it was a cold and didn’t think much of it.”
It was while playing soccer that his condition became impossible to ignore.
EVAN recalled taking only four or five steps before suddenly being unable to breathe, ultimately leading him to seek medical attention.
“Then when I was playing soccer, I took four or five steps and suddenly couldn’t breathe. I found out at the hospital later that it was cancer.”
The revelation is particularly striking considering how little fans previously knew about this period of his childhood. EVAN explicitly noted that he had never discussed the diagnosis since becoming a singer, making the interview the first time many fans learned about his childhood battle with malignant lymphoma.
Heeseung debuted with ENHYPEN in 2020 after competing on I-LAND, quickly becoming known for his vocal ability and all-rounder skills. He later departed the group and began a new chapter of his career under the name EVAN.
For fans who have followed him for years, the revelation provides an entirely new perspective on a childhood experience he had kept out of the public eye throughout his idol career.