DAVIDE K-POP

SEVENTEEN has been a pioneer in the K-pop industry, with hits like “HOT,” “Super,” and “MAESTRO.” But 2024 is an extra special year for the talented S.COUPS, JEONGHAN, JOSHUA, JUN, HOSHI, WONWOO, WOOZI, THE 8, MINGYU, DK, SEUNGKWAN, VERNON, and DINO, because it marks the 10th anniversary of their debut. And what better way to celebrate than with a party!

On Sunday, May 25th, I had the amazing opportunity to visit the B-DAY PARTY pop-up event, which started on May 23rd, and attended the BURST Stage – a one-of-a-kind performance at Jamsu Bridge, marking the K-pop icon’s historic rebirth.

Before jumping into the performance (I know you’re all waiting for that!), let me bring you with me to the B-DAY PARTY pop-up, because the whole experience was amazing, and I need you all to know that.

The pop-up experience was located at Some Sevit on the Hangang River, right next to Jamsu Bridge. As soon as I got to the location, I was blown away! From far away, you could see the giant 10th-anniversary CARAT light stick in the middle of Some Sevit – so cute and it had everyone taking pictures of it! I couldn’t resist, I had to take a picture as well!

Walking past the entrance, a big SEVENTEEN sign was located next to the welcome arch, which was one of the photo spots of the experience. Right at the beginning, they had a set of photo booths featuring frames inspired by SEVENTEEN’s past albums. I got mine with Mingyu, of course!

Next to it, they had the SVT history, a little exhibition zone featuring the team rings. On top of that, past awards were displayed, like the MAMA Award or the MTV Award! But the CARAT’s journey didn’t stop here; they had an interactive booth to print and collect favorite SEVENTEEN lyrics. And, of course, the SVT mobile game couldn’t be missed!

Just next to the history zone, we had the Interactive Message Zone, where CARATs could write 10th-anniversary celebration messages to SEVENTEEN, with selected messages displayed on a large screen.

Then we had a merch zone, showcasing SEVENTEEN’s 10th-anniversary official light stick and the 5th Studio Album merchandise, with amazing concept photos displayed as photo spots.

But the fun wasn’t over yet! They had a special photocard exchange booth where you could receive photo cards featuring all SEVENTEEN members after collecting 6 digital stamps by scanning QR codes placed throughout Seoul. Then we had the Brand Booth, featuring various partners celebrating SEVENTEEN’s B-DAY PARTY. And the little cherry on top of this amazing event was catching Bongbongee, the mascot character inspired by SEVENTEEN’s official light stick, walking around the event. What a day! And it was just the beginning of what we were all waiting for!

It was a perfect time for the BIG CELEBRATION, wrapping up the three-day event with a BANG. This isn’t just a celebration; it marks the rebirth of SEVENTEEN, the era of a new beginning. Thousands of fans gathered globally. While the chairs along Jamsu Bridge were limited to 6,000, that didn’t stop fans from gathering outside the sitting area to enjoy the show. What I’m telling you, it was PACKED! (Not to distract you from SEVENTEEN, but SHINee and Jay Park also had shows on the exact same day, and seeing so many CARATs gathering together to celebrate this iconic moment made this concert even extra special.)

While CARATs were getting to their seats, it was nice to see how the team managed to put together the stage to perform in such a short time – kudos to them!

Finally, the time had come for the sensational SEVENTEEN to hit the stage, opening with an exclusive moment: the new lead single “THUNDER” from their 5th new album, HAPPY BURSTDAY, out today (May 26th). What a fantastic opening, I was blown away! Fireworks were lit, and the choreography was so smooth it could give Michael Jackson a run for his money! And I loved their outfits: blue jeans combos combined with stones and stars, and leopard print jackets, which gave them a rock star moment. I lived for it! It was like they opened my wardrobe and got inspired by it – that’s how much I loved those outfits and how much they truly seemed to have gotten them from there. Dance moves were spot on, smooth, and amazing. Even if it was the first time performing it, I could see they had put in the effort in their rehearsals. They then took a moment to introduce themselves and thank the fans for coming to celebrate their 10th anniversary together!

“HBD” was up next, another new track from the 5th album! A perfect soundtrack for the whole event! Standing in front of microphones, the members unleashed powerful vocals backed up by a band sound. They had a great rock vibe aura, and I loved how the stage lights turned purple. “HOT” was up next! One of my favourite SEVENTEEN songs ever, and I’m so happy it made it to the cut for the 12-track show! “HOT” had a slightly different, rearranged version. I love when groups do this; it makes the whole show even more special! Especially towards the end of the song, the members invited everybody to sing along to “HOT” while fireworks and flames were played on stage! They took another moment to ask fans if they enjoyed “HBD” and “HOT”! Which we obviously all did!

SEVENTEEN took a bit of a breath while performing “April Shower.” They sat at the back of the stage, and it was so magical seeing the fountain playing on the side of the bridge while they were singing “April Shower,” such a sweet ballad. The heartwarming “Our Dawn Is Hotter Than Day” was played next, followed by “Headliner,” where the members invited us to put our hands up and flash our light sticks to sing and dance along.

We then had another rock moment vibe: SEVENTEEN were standing in front of the mics while performing “Run to You.” And speaking of rock… “Rock with You” was up next! A highlight of the night! It was so good! It really suited their whole night vibe with those rock-inspired outfits! The fireworks were insane, and once again, SEVENTEEN showcased how talented they are in dancing. “Together” was played next, and it was such a vibe, followed by the iconic and super energetic “God of Music”! It was in my top 3 of the night – great energy, and you could really tell that the members were having such a great time on stage performing this song! But just like that, we arrived at the end of the show with “Eyes on You,” with beautiful disco vibes while the stage was electrified by fireworks.

But it’s not a K-pop show without an encore, and just like that, SEVENTEEN delivered not an ordinary encore, but THE encore of a lifetime, marking indeed their rebirth! “VERY NICE” was more than nice; it was so energetic and made everyone dancing! A stunning display of fireworks over the water illuminated the whole bridge, together with a rainbow fountain. All the fans were applauding and cheering for the extraordinary performance. With that, the show was over.

SEVENTEEN made history as the first K-pop group to perform a large-scale act on Jamsu Bridge, and I’m so happy I was there to witness this.

It was my first time seeing SEVENTEEN live, and I was not disappointed. The energy, the vibes, the talent, and the love – this is what all the members brought to the stage. It has been a 10-year journey for them, but I can guarantee this spark will never stop, because behind their talent, it’s their charisma and star quality that really make them shine even more, even for 10 or more years! The new album HAPPY BURSTDAY marks the rebirth of SEVENTEEN; just like a phoenix from their ashes, they are ready to soar and shine into this new comeback.

That’s all from me today. I hope this review made you feel like you were there with me celebrating the amazing SEVENTEEN. Massive thanks to HYBE and SEVENTEEN’s team for having us.

All photos courtesy of PLEDIS Entertainment & HYBE.