South Korean musician Evan has opened up for the first time about surviving childhood malignant lymphoma, revealing how the battle shaped his life, his music, and his decision to pursue a solo career.
South Korean singer Evan recently opened up about his cancer battle as a child. (Photo: Instagram/h_evva_n)
09 Sep 2026 10:09AM
(Updated: 09 Sep 2026 10:14AM)
Former Enhypen member Evan has detailed his childhood cancer battle for the first time.The 24-year-old singer, whose real name is Lee Hee-seung, was in fourth grade (around 10 years old) when he was told he had malignant lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that happens when certain white blood cells become abnormal and start multiplying uncontrollably, forming tumours in lymph nodes or other organs.Sharing his symptoms, he told Weverse Magazine: "I kept coughing, and at first I just figured it was a cold and didn't think much of it, but 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."On the challenging treatment he underwent, Evan said: "But when I saw how my mum took care of me nonstop, I wanted to put on a brave face for her."During his time on the hospital ward, he would perform in talent shows with his fellow patients and dream about becoming a pop star.He said: "I dreamt of being a singer ever since I was six, but to be honest, back then I didn't really have the mental bandwidth to even think about that."
