Fans of SEVENTEEN, who refer to themselves as Carats, around the globe are buzzing with excitement as K-pop group SEVENTEEN gears up to celebrate its 10th anniversary and make their highly anticipated comeback on May 26. As one of them myself, I can only look back on the years and feel immensely proud of my favorite music group.
Since their debut in May 2015, they have gone from hopeful rookies to international stars. Aside from being the first K-pop group in history to perform at Berlin, Glastonbury, and the Tecate Pa’l Norte music festival, the group is also UNESCO’s first-ever Goodwill Ambassador for Youth. They’ve topped Billboard charts, released some of the best-selling albums in the world, and built a legacy that is impossible to ignore.
Contrary to their group name, SEVENTEEN consists of only thirteen members, each specializing in vocal, performance, or hip-hop categories. However, all members perform and sing together as one large unit. Hence, the name “SEVENTEEN” represents the thirteen members, plus three categories, and one large family. The following are the members, in age order: SCOUPS, JEONGHAN, JOSHUA, JUN, HOSHI, WONWOO, WOOZI, THE8, MINGYU, DK, SEUNGKWAN, VERNON, and DINO.
All members were born from the years 1995 to 1999, and came together as trainees when they were only around eleven to thirteen years old under their company, Hybe and PLEDIS Entertainment. Living and training together in the same house, the members grew closer than family to each other; their parents often joke that they feel like they’re raising “thirteen” sons.
Aside from releasing exceptional albums, SEVENTEEN has also reached a larger fan base through their unique monthly TV series, GOING SEVENTEEN. The series started in June 2017, two years after their formal debut. According to IMDb, each month features a new episode of the members participating in a variety of activities, ranging from games, completing challenges and skits, role-playing, and get-togethers.
What makes SEVENTEEN truly unique from other K-pop groups is their songs; unlike other groups in which the company hires a production team to write and choreograph songs, SEVENTEEN writes their own. Their seventh member, WOOZI, is the leader of the vocal team and has been recognized for composing almost all of SEVENTEEN’s albums. Additionally, other members have also composed and contributed to the creation of their hits.
This year is SEVENTEEN’s tenth year since debut. Therefore, the group has planned their biggest gift to their “Carats” yet. According to TINYgMUSIC, SEVENTEEN plans to reinvent themselves into a “new era,” combining the words “burst” and “birthday” into their newest upcoming album, HAPPY BURSTDAY. Although their second-oldest member, JEONGHAN—my personal bias—won’t be joining them for the release due to his military service in South Korea, both SEVENTEEN and Carats are holding him close in their hearts, eagerly awaiting his return.
On April 28 at midnight, SEVENTEEN dropped the trailer DARE OR DEATH for their 5th full-length album, HAPPY BURSTDAY, on YouTube and social media. According to Global Edition, the trailer is split into three parts: an interactive main story, and two alternate endings—Side A: DARE and Side B: DEATH—depending on the viewer’s choices. The concept explores SEVENTEEN awakening their inner “daredevil,” standing at a crossroads between risk and comfort.
In the main video, the members fall through flames and confront a darker version of themselves. This symbolizes the internal battle between fear and action. In DARE, they embrace the challenge, transforming through fire and becoming whole. In DEATH, they give in to fear and vanish into smoke, ending with a haunting “MISSING” poster. The phrases “FACE THE CHALLENGE, BURN ANEW” and “WITHOUT CHALLENGE, THERE IS NO NEW BEGINNING” flash at the end, showing the world that they are ready to change and become something new.
SEVENTEEN keeps leveling up, and that’s exactly why this comeback has me counting down the days. Wherever they go next, I’m following—and you’ll definitely catch me in the crowd at their next tour, chanting “SEVENTEEN RIGHT HERE!”
