SEVENTEEN
Biography
SEVENTEEN is a South Korean boy band formed by Pledis Entertainment. The group consists of 13 members: S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino. They officially debuted on May 26, 2015, with a live showcase televised by MBC, making them the first male K-pop group to debut with a one-hour live show on a major broadcasting channel. The group's name is derived from the sum of its parts: 13 members, 3 sub-units, and 1 group, equaling 17.
Pre-Debut
Before their official debut, the members of SEVENTEEN were introduced through a reality show called "Seventeen TV". The show aired on the online streaming platform Ustream and allowed fans to get to know the trainees. Initially, the group was planned to have 17 members who would promote in Korea, China, and Japan. "Seventeen TV" went through several seasons, showcasing the trainees' skills and daily lives, which helped them build a fanbase even before their debut.
Career and Musical Style
SEVENTEEN debuted with their first mini-album, "17 Carat," on May 29, 2015. The album became the longest-charting K-pop album of the year in the US and the only rookie album to appear on Billboard's "10 Best K-Pop Albums of 2015" list. They are known as a "self-producing" idol group, with members actively involved in songwriting, music production, and choreography. Vocalist Woozi has co-composed most of the group's songs, and performance team leader Hoshi has choreographed many of their dances. Their musical style is diverse, encompassing dance-pop, R&B, and hip-hop.
The group has released several full-length albums, including "Love & Letter" (2016), "Teen, Age" (2017), "An Ode" (2019), and "Face the Sun" (2022). They have achieved significant commercial success, with their EPs "FML" and "Seventeenth Heaven" setting records for the best-selling albums in K-pop history. "FML" was also recognized as the best-selling album of the year globally by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in 2023.
Sub-Units
To showcase the individual talents of its numerous members, SEVENTEEN is divided into three sub-units:
- Hip-Hop Unit: Consisting of S.Coups (unit leader), Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Vernon.
- Vocal Unit: Comprising Woozi (unit leader), Jeonghan, Joshua, DK, and Seungkwan.
- Performance Unit: Featuring Hoshi (unit leader), Jun, The8, and Dino.
In addition to these, a special sub-unit called BSS (BooSeokSoon), made up of Seungkwan, DK, and Hoshi, debuted in 2018.
Members
SEVENTEEN is composed of thirteen members, including two of Chinese descent (Jun and The8) and two Korean-Americans (Joshua and Vernon).
Hip-Hop Team
- S.Coups: The leader of the entire group and the Hip-Hop unit.
- Wonwoo: Rapper in the unit.
- Mingyu: Rapper in the unit.
- Vernon: Rapper in the unit.
Vocal Team
- Woozi: Leader of the Vocal unit and the group's main producer.
- Jeonghan: A lead vocalist.
- Joshua: A lead vocalist.
- DK: A main vocalist.
- Seungkwan: A main vocalist.
Performance Team
- Hoshi: Leader of the Performance unit and a main choreographer.
- Jun: A lead dancer and sub-vocalist.
- The8: A lead dancer and sub-vocalist.
- Dino: A main dancer, sub-vocalist, and sub-rapper.
Achievements
SEVENTEEN has received numerous awards throughout their career, including accolades from the Golden Disc Awards, Seoul Music Awards, and Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA). They won their first MAMA Daesang (Grand Prize) for Album of the Year with "FML" in 2023. The group is renowned for their synchronized and energetic performances, earning them titles like "Performance Kings" and "K-Pop Performance Powerhouse". Their dedicated fanbase is officially named "Carat".