This interview with K-pop group SEVENTEEN was conducted before a recent issue arose when members of the group were filmed singing parts of a song by Norazo, titled “Curry.” In a companion piece, interviewer Anjana Pawa unpacks the song’s harmful South Asian stereotypes and why it’s important that artists address and learn from moments of racism and cultural insensitivity — and why the concerns of South Asian fans deserve to be heard.
SEVENTEEN vocalist and dancer Hoshi has a song he loves to perform with his fellow members. It’s “Don’t Wanna Cry,” a track about a lost love from the K-pop group's fourth mini album Al1. The reason it’s his favorite is vital: “Because if there’s one member that is not there, they can’t be replaced,” the 24-year-old tells Teen Vogue through a translator.
In the five years since their May 26, 2015 debut, SEVENTEEN has orchestrated a major feat, turning 13 individually talented members into a large but tight-knit family that breaks records left and right. Their latest mini album, Heng:garae, sold over 1 million copies in pre-orders alone before its June 22 release, putting them in an elite club of Korean groups like BTS and EXO, and Western musicians like Taylor Swift.
The title Heng:garae is a Korean word that translates to tossing someone up in the air in celebration. It feels like an exhale, like an exaltation of growth and of moving forward. The opening track “Fearless” begins with chants and drum beats that immediately evoke victory, perfect antithesis to their previous album’s single “Fear.” It’s an intentional shift in tone from 2019’s An Ode, which was painted with uncertainty and trepidation for the future. Heng:garae captures the journey of finding your purpose, and celebrating it alongside the ones you love.
“Whatever crossroads we’re at, it’s always expressed through the current album,” Hoshi says. “When ‘Fear’ came out, we all had a sense of fear in our lives. But we overcame our fear and we grew a step further. Our journey with that is portrayed through this album.”
SEVENTEEN’s 13 members can be split into two smaller groupings: Rappers S.Coups (who is the leader of the group), Mingyu, Vernon, and Wonwoo; and vocalists Dino, DK, Hoshi, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Seungkwan, THE8, and Woozi. The group’s name is derived from the group members and their three subunits (the hip-hop team, the vocal team, and the performance team) — 13 members, plus three subunits, plus one group equals the number 17. They do everything together: eat, work out, watch television, and like any typical family unit, they also bicker.
“Recently, our album surpassed one million sales on the first week, so we had a nice celebration dinner and talked about how precious this moment is,” Dino, the youngest, tells Teen Vogue. “We laughed a lot together but also fought, so this kind of intimate and strong relationship was built over time.”
Along with professional achievements, the members have also experienced growth in their personal lives over the years since debut. S.Coups acknowledges his journey towards self-love and self-acceptance. “I was once in a place where I would blame myself for a lack of talent and imperfection, but I’ve grown to love myself as who I am,” he explains. He was on a brief hiatus during SEVENTEEN’s North American tour due to health issues but after sufficient rest has returned to lead the team. The group is eager to return to stage as a 13-member ensemble. That’s where they shine the brightest, as a group on stage. “Since we get along well all the time, I think that naturally comes out on the stage,” DK tells Teen Vogue.
Some of the members have discovered and embraced a greater sense of responsibility that arises from a bigger audience. “I try to better understand our music before performing so the viewers and listeners can better relate to our songs and our performance,” Joshua says, recognizing changes in himself since debut. “The performer has to understand the music and performance before being able to tell the story that we want to tell through our music.”
What makes SEVENTEEN so special is that at the root of their artistry is an extraordinary attention to storytelling. Since their inception, members of the group have been directly involved with production and choreography. Woozi, along with the group’s collaborator Bumzu, are the group’s biggest producers; Vernon explains that the members place their trust in these two. Hoshi and Dino work closely with the choreography team to bring the group’s personal flair into the performances. And all of the members meet with the planning and production team regularly to discuss ideas for music videos. “The importance [of this is] that we are able to unfold our own stories and thoughts into our music,” Woozi explains about the group’s involvement. These stories are what connects them to their fans, known as CARATs. “We are always preparing something for our CARATs,” Jun says. Mingyu adds, “We live with the mindset to challenge ourselves when we encounter new opportunities. We want to make those who send us their support and love happy.”
Visual storytelling also plays a crucial role in the group’s projects. Their music videos and choreographies tell stories that run parallel to lyrics and melodies. From earlier tracks such as “Very Nice” to their latest release “Left & Right,” SEVENTEEN has delivered striking music videos with intricate choreo and visuals that feel as reflective and self-expressive as their songs. “I tend to use my imagination,” Wonwoo says. “When I hear the overall concept of the track, I immerse myself into the situation and think about how I would react, what I would think.”
The “My, My” music video reflects this immersive realm that SEVENTEEN has created, portraying scenes of Jun operating a boat cruising in the clouds, S. Coups offering food to a herd of alpacas, and Vernon making… jam? Fans quickly took to Twitter to speculate what flavor the jam is. “It was pineapple!” he confirms to Teen Vogue. The jam is a metaphor, he explains, the literal fruits of their labor being turned into jam to share. “Before the music video, [...] I said we are born and we produce fruits, and with those fruits we make jam, and we share it. So we’re just sharing whatever we have to the world.”
With 13 members comes 13 styles, personalities, and voices that are incorporated to create one final result. They experiment with genres and technique often to create something original and in turn, fans always receive the new best version of the group with each comeback. “All 13 individuals have different colors and energies. The mixture of 13 colors is the reason we have such good synergy,” explains THE8. Every member is a piece of a puzzle that fits perfectly together to create the whole. “SEVENTEEN’s identity is [the members of] SEVENTEEN, and that’s what makes us special in our own way,” Jeonghan tells Teen Vogue.
Hoshi characterizes the group’s teamwork and camaraderie as analogous to a pizza. Joshua lets out a chuckle and Vernon cautiously watches to see where Hoshi is taking this comparison. “If there’s pizza, the dough is kind of sweet, the tomato sauce is kind of sour and sweet, the cheese is smooth and pepperoni is a bit salty. So Seventeen is like pizza! If you combine all of these different parts, it becomes a really tasty meal.” He lets out a small laugh and continues with a smirk, “Seungkwan is pickle! Hoshi is hot sauce!” Seungkwan and Hoshi are infamous amongst CARATs for being the comedians of the group; they're constantly attempting to make their members laugh or smile.
“Our focus is not only to become a team that constantly undertakes challenges without being fearful of change,” Seungkwan explains, “but also to become a team that gives positive energy and hope to people all over the world.”
As they continue to grow together and the world continues to change, they are deciding what stories to tell the world next. “We don’t know to expect ourselves, where are we gonna go, we’re still figuring that out. We’re in that process now!” Joshua explains. Hoshi hesitates slightly before a smile is revealed on his face and he replies, “Billboard?”
His tone shifts slightly as he reveals what is really most meaningful for them: the relationship they've created with each other and their fans. Together, they hope to grow and continue on this path together, 13 members on a unique journey, to make music that brings joy to all those listening.
“We hope you can overcome all the difficulties in your life and we really want to communicate with you again on stage,” he adds. “And instead of just saying thank you, I wish there were a different phrase or word that we could say to express our true love towards our CARATs.”
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