On June 11, Lee Hyun met with audiences at the '2023 WeverseCon Festival,' appearing under his other persona 'MidNat'. MidNat is the inaugural collaborative project character created by HYBE IM and BigHit Music, designed to offer a variety of songs by infusing technology into music.

On this day, Lee Hyun, as MidNat, performed his debut stage 'Tribute Stage - Uhm Jung Hwa,' expressing his respect for his senior artists. Lee Hyun as MidNat gave off a somewhat unfamiliar vibe. He radiated more of a charismatic, sophisticated artist than the comfortable and friendly persona typically seen on broadcasts. This was a testament to the innovative efforts of not just Lee Hyun, but also HYBE.

Lee Hyun continued his songs and conversations in Uhm Jung Hwa's voice rather than his own. At first, audiences who met Lee Hyun were taken aback, but as time passed, they cheered at the sight of his vocals freely changing. Implementing this unfamiliar persona must have been awkward for Lee Hyun. However, his perseverance on stage, revealing his challenging side as MidNat, truly showed how forward-thinking HYBE is in their musical aspirations.

Lee Hyun stated, "Incorporating another person's voice to provide a new feeling can only be an exciting challenge for an artist. Having the ability to show new vocals and a new style is the driving force that allows us to take on diverse music."

In his 'WeverseCon' performance, Lee Hyun as MidNat sang his debut single 'Masquerade' in various languages, including Korean, showcasing his audacious spirit of challenge. With not only domestic fans filling the audience but also foreign fans, MidNat made a resounding mark on this new musical world.

Lee Hyun appears to shoulder all of HYBE's inaugural challenges. He was a member of the group 8Eight, the first launch by BigHit Entertainment in 2007. He has been a trainee since 2005, when BigHit was established. Lee Hyun was a challenge for Bang Si-Hyuk, the founder of BigHit, and the two have maintained a connection for over 15 years. In a past interview, Lee Hyun referred to Bang Si-Hyuk as "the parents of my 20s," indicating that they are musical companions.

Bang Si-Hyuk also mentioned the importance of MidNat in an interview with American Billboard magazine, stating, "HYBE, which is promoting a long-term business strategy for fan experience and expansion through the fusion of music and technology, is planning its first collaborative project presented through HYBE IM, a solution business organization, and its subsidiary label, BigHit Music."

Lee Hyun has grasped both titles as BigHit's first launch artist and HYBE's first project artist, 'MidNat.' It's a pity to confine Lee Hyun to a vocalist limited to ballads, such as 8Eight and Homme. The spirit of Lee Hyun's challenge, along with HYBE's forward-looking perspective, is creating the leading music in K-pop.

A HYBE official expressed, "We hope that Lee Hyun's attitude of openly accepting this new challenge as MidNat reaches many people. We plan to continue his activities consistently as both the singer Lee Hyun and as MidNat," and asked for "much interest and anticipation for the future activities of Lee Hyun, who honestly expresses his musical concerns."

Copyright © 2023 Kpop Reporter. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.