SEVENTEEN was destined for mega-fame. This K-Pop juggernaut came together in the pressure cooker of Seventeen TV—a raw, unfiltered live-stream talent-survival show that was essentially X factor-meets-Big Brother on steroids. After four years of intense training under entertainment company PLEDIS, the final 13-member lineup was born, debuting in May 2015. The fiercely creative ecosystem? S.COUPS, JEONGHAN, JOSHUA, JUN, HOSHI, WONWOO, WOOZI, THE 8, MINGYU, DK, SEUNGKWAN, VERNON, and DINO—divided into three teams: Vocal, Hip-Hop, and Performance.

Fast forward nearly a decade, and SEVENTEEN’s sonic range spans everything from candy-coated Pop to dark, brooding EDM and sultry, sing-along bangers. The numbers speak for themselves: surreal streaming stats, unprecedented album sales, and history-making live performances.

Exhibit A: In the last two years alone, their 10th mini album FML and 11th mini album SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN skyrocketed to become the best-selling K-Pop albums in history. Both debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, dominated the World Albums chart at No. 1, and the group collectively sold over 16 million copies globally in 2023 alone. Awards? They’ve stacked them. In 2023, they clinched the IFPI Global Album Award, while 2022 saw them taking home the VMAs MTV PUSH Performance of the Year, and two EMAs for Best New and Best PUSH. With a 2024 iHeartRadio nomination for K-Pop Artist of the Year and a massive win for Best Group at the 2024 VMAs, it’s clear they’re far from slowing down.

Their FOLLOW tour? 20 sold-out shows, over 1.5 million fans captivated worldwide. The first boy band to embark on an Asia stadium tour after BTS. Oh, and did we mention they headlined Lollapalooza Berlin and became the first K-Pop group to perform on Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage? Breathe, I hear you say? Yeah, SEVENTEEN doesn’t have time for that. They’re too busy cranking up the heat that got them here in the first place.

This year’s comeback is poised to be their biggest yet. Following the smash success of their Best Album 17 IS RIGHT HERE in April, they’re gearing up for the release of their 12th Mini Album SPILL THE FEELS in October. And with the upcoming SEVENTEEN [RIGHT HERE] WORLD TOUR ready to pull millions of CARATs (that’s their fanbase) into the frenzy, it’s safe to say they’re set for Pop domination like we’ve never seen. While the rest of the group is in strict album mode, MINGYU, THE 8, VERNON, and WONWOO carved out a moment from their hectic schedule to talk about influence, impact, and what it really means to be part of this brotherhood. Buckle up.

Ella Bardsley: SEVENTEEN, since first releasing in 2015, has always had a fierce independent streak—from crafting your own music to choreographing your moves. When you look at your upcoming 12th mini album, what’s the most rebellious or unexpected thing you’ve done with it?
MINGYU: Working on an album is always a challenge. With all the members and countless staff putting their heads together, each with their own creative ideas, it can be tough to settle on a single direction. But this collaboration makes the process all the more fun and enjoyable. When the music or album we put out is loved by someone, it adds even more meaning to the effort.
VERNON: The work on our lead single was definitely the most unexpected. Please stay tuned.

EB: SEVENTEEN is known for its strong in-house creative ecosystem, split into three units: Hip-Hop, Vocal, Performance. How do you manage the creative input from all 13 members, and how does this dynamic influence your music and performances?
WONWOO: We have a system where we share and discuss the theme and story we want to convey in a song, then create the music based on that theme, with WOOZI’s creative input at the centre, and finally develop the choreography and the performance to match the song. Since the members’ ideas and recent thoughts ultimately shape the theme, this greatly influences both our music and performance.
THE 8: We talk to each other a lot, not just to discuss the creative process, but about our album and share each other’s thoughts in everyday life. I believe this helps enhance our music and performances, making it our own and consistently delivering something ‘better.’

EB: The RIGHT HERE World Tour is about to begin. Your FOLLOW tour captivated over 1.5 million fans worldwide. When you step onto the stage, knowing that kind of impact, what’s the first thing that goes through your mind? Or what’s your go-to tour ritual—whether it’s a guilty pleasure or a secret routine—that keeps you grounded or energised before hitting the stage?
THE 8: I’m very much looking forward to the upcoming tour, especially since we’ll be visiting some places we haven’t been to in a long time. We’ve been working hard on getting ready for our shows, thinking about our fans, so I can’t wait for the moment to meet them. Before going on stage, I usually grab a meal and do some stretches.
VERNON: When on stage, I think SEVENTEEN’s top priority should be the audience’s enjoyment. To make that happen, I believe we need to enjoy the performance ourselves. So when it’s showtime, I try to focus on being present in the moment. During that moment at least, I don’t really think of things like how well our tour has done.

EB: After selling out 23 shows last year, how do you top that kind of success? What’s the secret ingredient that makes this tour stand out?
WONWOO: As always, we’ll create a show that showcases our new charms and appeals. Instead of trying to outdo our past success, we want to showcase our performance to a wider audience in different regions.
MINGYU: We simply want to keep going. My goal is not to “sell out a show,” but to make people who have attended our show want to come back and see more.

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