On June 8, 2020, Pledis Entertainment announced that Seventeen would be releasing a new album on June 22.[2] Serving as the band's first Korean release since their third studio album An Ode the previous year, Heng:garæ marked an intentional shift in musical tone; in contrast to An Ode, which was painted with "uncertainty and trepidation for the future", the EP embraced the theme of "the journey of finding your purpose and celebrating it alongside the ones you love".[3]
The album was Seventeen's first release after the acquisition of the band's agency, Pledis Entertainment, by Hybe Corporation in May 2020.[1]
Heng:garæ garnered over 1.06 million units in its initial pre-order volume.[1] Within its first week of release, the EP sold 1,097,891 copies for the week of June 22–28, having reached one million units by the end of its fifth day; this marked Seventeen's first million-selling album and identified the band as the second act in history to surpass one million copies in sales within a week, behind BTS.[4] After a month of its debut, the album totaled 1,207,513 units sold.[5]
Reviewing for The Line of Best Fit, Sophia Simon-Bashall commended Heng:garæ for staying true to the band's musical identity, describing it as "an album that captures the essence of Seventeen", as well as "a record filled with warmth, genuine love, and respect for their listeners".[6]
