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ENHYPEN’s latest comeback, DARK BLOOD, and its title track Bite Me garnered positive response from fans as they pointed out its similarities to second-generation K-pop music. Bite Me’s music video released on May 22, 2023, and instantly sent the ENGENE fandom into a frenzy. The group already created ample buzz when the teaser for Bite Me was released, as fans gushed over the group's slightly mature concept.
K-pop fans especially talked about how Bite Me reminded them of second or third generation boy group songs. While the tonality became more experimental and easy-on-ears with the current generation, fans loved that ENHYPEN’s latest title track’s instrumental, lyrics, and even choreography gave them a majorly second-generation aesthetic.
One of the most discussed aspects of the music video was the singers dancing with female partners, which many fans pointed out had rarely been seen in recent years.
Fans believe ENHYPEN’s Bite Me takes them back in time, praise it for breaking the current fourth-gen K-pop music landscape
After making fans wait nearly 10 months for a new release, the septet made their much-anticipated comeback with their fourth mini album titled DARK BLOOD on May 22, 2023. Fans had high expectations from the Drunk-Dazed singers, and they did not disappoint ENGENEs as the fandom couldn’t stop gushing over the overall nature of DARK BLOOD’s title track, Bite Me.
Bite Me continues ENHYPEN’s intricately-woven vampire lore. While the lyrics of the song paint a mature picture, the choreography of Bite Me also reminded fans of the second-generation K-pop boy groups.
Second-generation male idol groups such as 2PM, BIGBANG, TVXQ, BEAST, INFINITE, among others, became known for their macho, intense songs which also included a mature tone. ENHYPEN’s Bite Me seems to have brought forward the same feeling, as per many fans who are gushing over the latest title track on Twitter.
One fan mentioned that the song reminded them of the second and third-generation boy group “excellence.” A screenshot of a report from someone who listened to Bite Me before it was released mentioned that the song had a “style that they haven’t seen in 10 years,” went viral as well.
Fans praised the group for trying something unique and breaking the fourth-generation boy group music mold by taking a challenge with Bite Me. Take a look at how they reacted to the septet's latest music video below:
In other news, the Bite Me singers broke their personal record in sales with DARK BLOOD, showcasing their impressive popularity. On May 22, Hanteo reported that the mini album recorded 1,108,337 sales on the first day of its release. This marked the group’s personal best-selling album since their debut in November 2020.
Meanwhile, ENHYPEN will be performing at two highly-awaited music events. The septet was revealed as performers for the 2023 Weverse Con Festival scheduled for June and 11 at KSPO Dome and the three-day 32nd Lotte Duty Free Family Concert which will kick off on June 16 and end on June 18, 2023.
