SEVENTEEN

The name of K-pop boy band SEVENTEEN might seem like a bit of a misnomer for a group with 13 members. But much like the band’s music—which leaps from youthful jubilation (“VERY NICE”) to sorrowful electro-pop (“Don’t Wanna Cry”)—there’s a pointed meaning to everything its members do. Debuting in 2015 with the shimmering EP 17 Carat, the Seoul-based group landed with a fully formed musicality that was radical at the time. Thanks to lead producer and vocalist Woozi—who handles much of the band’s upbeat, earworm-y music—SEVENTEEN brings an infectious energy that has been honed after years of close bonding: Years before their official debut, the members were regularly featured in the online streaming show Seventeen TV, where they showed the tight camaraderie that’s on display even now. “The members have really taught me the power of companionship,” member Joshua said in an interview with Apple Music. In 2024, the members celebrated their ninth anniversary with the greatest hits compilation SEVENTEEN BEST ALBUM ‘17 IS RIGHT HERE’, a sprawling testament to the group’s ease in bounding across genres, from lighthearted cutesy pop (“Pretty U”) to brooding pop-rock (“Rock with you”) in a heartbeat. It should be noted that SEVENTEEN is divided into three subgroups, each of which participates in developing the group’s music, lyrics, and choreography: hip-hop (S. Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Vernon), vocal (Jeonghan, Joshua, Woozi, DK, and Seungkwan), and performance (Jun, Hoshi, The8, and Dino). Thirteen members, three subunits, one cohesive team: Guess what those numbers add up to.