ni-ki mentioned model sora choi in his interview!
🐥: for example, look at the model sora choi—she pulls off any garment without limits.
🐥: i want to be someone who owns every stage and every atmosphere, making them entirely my own.
#NI_KI#니키#ニキ
BAZAAR STAR : The Cosmic Interview #NI_KI#니키
“Do you have a favorite Korean word?” NI-KI ponders the question—one he admits he’s never been asked before—before offering a thoughtful reply. “Hmm... mu (無). Nothingness. On stage, I try to clear my mind of any unnecessary thoughts. When I monitor my performances later, I’ve realized that I look more composed and cooler when I’m in that state. I think the dance that comes out when my emotions are at their simplest—that is when I am most truly myself.”
The fifteen-year-old boy has come of age within the world of ENHYPEN. “I started my professional life in my second year of middle school, after all (laughs). I was so young back then—both in my performance and my mindset. Still, I’m not embarrassed by it because I believe that version of me is what made me who I am today. When I look back at videos from that time, you can really see how hard I’m trying. It’s so obvious. But there’s a difference between working hard and being truly good. I just didn't know what it meant to have a sense of ease. It was only later, while watching senior artists, that I gradually realized just how cool it is to look effortless on stage.”
Though being young had its challenges in the past, NI-KI, who now says every day is a joy, is the type of person who genuinely relishes standing before a lens as a model. "I love this because it’s an opportunity to reveal a side of myself that ENGENE hasn't seen before,” he says. “I’ve always followed fashion shows and magazines closely, so today has been truly exciting!" With his elongated limbs and lithe frame, he carries the undeniable presence of a runway model. Since his debut, he has shot up from 177cm to a striking 186cm. While he once felt a complex about his proportions being "unlike a typical idol's," NI-KI now possesses a keen understanding of his own aesthetic power. "Originally, I preferred collecting street brand archives or wearing boxy clothes, but lately, I’ve been drawn to slim fits. It’s partly about following trends, but I don’t think that’s everything." In a sense, it isn't just his style that has matured, but his mindset. "For example, look at the model Sora Choi—she pulls off any garment without limits. I want to be someone who owns every stage and every atmosphere, making them entirely my own." For NI-KI, the moment the stage lights snap on and the moment a camera shutter clicks feel remarkably similar. It is the moment the switch is flipped—the fleeting instance where NI-KI feels most profoundly free.
If the quintessential image of a vampire is defined by a sharp jawline, deep-set eyes, and a restrained expression, one could say that NI-KI is the living embodiment of the ENHYPEN lore. Hearing the word “vampire” fall from his lips feels like a brief breach of the fourth wall, yet you soon find yourself nodding in conviction. NI-KI possesses a profound reverence for the genre. “Of course, many artists have borrowed the vampire motif before. But for us, it’s not a one-off thing; we’ve been building this lore continuously, expressing it through various music genres, costumes, and performances. I believe it’s something only ENHYPEN can do. To be honest, I felt a bit awkward at first, too. But overtime, I started to fall for the charm of the vampire persona. To really understand the genre, I dove into a sort of ‘vampire study,’ looking up movies like the Twilight saga. I got hooked. And that’s when I realized—it’s precisely because we’re interpreting this through our own unique color that we’ve been able to build such a dedicated fandom like ENGENE. I’m so glad we pushed through with it consistently.”
If Bram Stoker’s Dracula channels the primal fear of the "other," Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive serves as a cynical critique of modern capitalism. In this sense, the vampire—as a creature of pure fantasy—has paradoxically always been the most faithful mirror of its era. From this perspective, ENHYPEN stands as one of the most contemporary idol groups, one that truly sings for the present. Take, for instance, the bold use of drill beats in 2022’s "Future Perfect." They fearlessly pull off even the most cutting-edge musical trends, making them entirely their own.
Meanwhile, the NI-KI of now claims he has never once felt burnout, as his list of things he wishes to achieve remains endless. Even his concerns are strikingly mature. “If this is a pivotal moment for us—and I believe it is—I want to use this chance to shift my mindset. I feel like I’ve relied too heavily on the older members until now. Instead of thinking, ‘They’ll fill in the gaps for me,’ I want to further hone my own strengths. Above all, I want to firmly establish myself as the one leading the performance in ENHYPEN. It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I have absolute confidence in my dancing.” At the root of this ambition lies a deep consideration for his teammates. “I suppose to the members, I’ll always be the baby of the group. Since I’m now the tallest and my voice has deepened, people around us say I don’t even seem like the youngest anymore. When they hear that, the older members actually seem a bit saddened (laughs). But I’ve matured quite a lot—not just physically, but mentally as well. I hope they can lean on me more now and perhaps let go of some of that heavy sense of responsibility.”
This is the burning ambition held by the NI-KI of 2026.
🐈 i couldn’t just let this pass, so i turned on the live.
🐈 um… this is being translated, right?
🐈 i think there are a lot of people who really loved who we were before and our past selves
🐈 but it seems like there are still many people who deny the current us, enhypen
🐈 since we never clearly addressed it ourselves, some people kept saying that we never properly spoke about it and continued bringing up the number of members
🐈 of course, i do understand the feelings of those who loved enhypen before
🐈 but now, enhypen is 6 members, everyone
🐈 enhypen is 6 members, and regarding the fan chants you do at concerts, i understand that too.
i understand because we haven’t clearly spoken about it until now, but it’s not good to see engenes fighting among themselves over things like that. honestly, it’s also become a big disruption during our concerts. a lot. now that i’ve clearly spoken about it today, i think those who truly like enhypen and genuinely support us will know how they should act going forward
🐈 i’ll be very clear about this myself. if i keep speaking vaguely, it could just cause more confusion. from now on, saying things like “enhypen is seven” is really just encouraging engenes to fight among themselves. nobody wants our fans fighting each other. the company doesn’t want that, engenes obviously don’t want that, and most importantly, the six of us don’t want that either. so from now on, i’m going to consider anyone who continues to stir up these kinds of conflicts as not being a fan.
🐈 that’s why i started this live in the first place. to talk about this, i came here on behalf of the members, and we share the same thoughts. the other five members think the same, so i really hope this won’t happen anymore. i’m being sincere.
🐈 like i said earlier, it’s honestly very distracting during performances. people spend their money to come see us, they take a lot of time to be there, and concert tickets are expensive. so it’s a nuisance to them too. anyway, i really hope you’ll stop doing things like that.
🐈 since this is being translated, i think everyone understands what i’m saying. that doesn’t mean our concerts in brazil and peru were bad. they were amazing concerts. i’m also looking forward to our upcoming concert in mexico.
🐈 i’ve made myself very clear. i’m saying this as the representative of enhypen. the other members all feel the same way. so please stop, and i hope you’ll take some time to think about this seriously. after all, we’re people who do this for engenes. seeing everyone fighting each other just wasn’t nice.
thank you for being so brave our leader 🥺