Images from BENCH | FACEBOOK

K-pop has taken the world by storm. Just about anywhere you look, you’re bound to hear someone blasting K-pop tracks at full volume or see music videos being played on screens. Then there are those who trade and sell photo cards of their favorite idols, referred to as their “bias.”

But perhaps one of the biggest influences K-pop has is through fashion.

On invitation of powerhouse lifestyle brand Bench, I met the K-pop sensation Enhypen and all seven members of the boyband at the Grand Hyatt as a prelude to their fan meet, “A Sweet Experience,” slated for the next day at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

I had gone in blind, and as they were brought in by the host Sam Oh, it struck me that I had no idea how to differentiate the idols from each other. Thinking fast, I relied on the one thing that stood out to me the most—their clothes.

As the afternoon wore on, I paid close attention to what the idols were wearing. To differentiate each of them, I listed down the clothes they were wearing and the features that stood out. Before I was familiar with them, my quickly written cheat sheet had listed Ni-ki as “black shirt,” Heeseung as “white shirt,” Jake as “brown shirt with double arrows,” Sunghoon as “blue shirt and white collar,” Jungwoon as “white collar with black shirt,” Sunoo as “blonde with brown shirt,” and Jay as “white and red shirt.” 

I meant no offense by it. It was truthfully the easiest way for me to recognize them at the time. Their outfits stood out from one another and gave a glimpse into their personalities. Ni-ki, Heeseung, Jake, and Jay had a more casual appearance, all going for cozy, layered looks. Meanwhile, Sunghoon, Jungwoon, and Sunoo had formal looks, opting for button-up collared shirts.

It was clear just how excited the group was to meet the “Engenes,” a term used to refer to their fans. Ni-ki confessed that they would spend even their free time watching reaction videos of fans and communicating with them through Weverse and X (formerly Twitter). They referred to the Engenes as the ones as their musical inspiration. It’s the support of the fans that keeps them going. This comes as no surprise, as thanks to the love of their fans worldwide, Enhypen was one of the fastest Kpop groups to reach a billion streams on Spotify back in 2022. Fans have also been responsible for bringing tracks like “Fever,” “DrunkDazed,” and “Polaroid Love” on top of music streaming charts. Fittingly, their success has since granted them the title of “K-pop powerhouse.”

As the members spoke candidly about their passions, one question brought up was which of them was always updated when it came to fashion. Jay was quick to take the mic to answer, “For me, Sunghoon is the best because I think he’s well aware of trends and I think he knows what style fits him.” 

Sunghoon laughed and thanked Jay before remarking, “For me, actually, it’s all the members. We’re all fashionable.” He’s not wrong. When asked about what type of looks they often go for, Ni-ki shared his fondness of streetwear fashion. Jay doubled down on the love for street fashion and shared his preference for loose, oversized looks. 

To show just how ready they were for their fan meet experience, some members flexed a number of Filipino terms they had learned prior to the show. Just before everything started, they greeted us all with an eager kumusta (how are you). Sunoo went the extra mile and shared how he knew the terms salamat po (thank you) and pogi (handsome). Heeseung spoke about his fondness of dried mangoes whenever in Manila. He revealed that he had snacked on a bunch shortly upon arrival the day before. Sunghoon then told us he would want to visit Cebu and Boracay someday so he could go jetskiing. They even wrapped up the afternoon they spent with us by declaring, “Mahal kita, salamat po (We love you, thank you)!”

Enhypen’s keen fashion sense is best seen through the group’s latest collaboration with Bench. Most are cozy fits that work well for days you want to head outside but still feel right at home. Some stand-out looks from the Bench x Enhypen line are the jackets. You can choose between a jock-style varsity jacket or a South Korean staple, the bomber jacket. Either is sure to keep you warm now that the rainy season is upon us. There are also several plain graphic tees to choose from that offer a subtle yet stylish approach. A personal favorite is the Enhypen Sunshine design. Overall, a great line of clothes that will let you dress like your idols and feel like yourself, comfortable in your skin, at the same time.