On the day of SEVENTEEN‘s concert in Bangkok, Thailand, even the skies were beckoning the K-pop juggernaut to make their grand entrance. Let us explain: As the clock approached 6PM—the start time of the show—the sun started to set in shades of pink and blue. Those may be part of a normal palette for dusk, but not to Carats, the name given to SEVENTEEN’s fans. Pink and blue are the group’s official colors—named rose quartz and serenity. And on this evening, not only were tens of thousands of Carats wearing pink and blue inside Rajamangala Stadium, but the skies above also seemed to have gotten wind of the dress code.
It’s Dec. 23, 2023, the first night of two for the Bangkok stops in SEVENTEEN’s fourth world tour, “Follow.” The group had kicked off “Follow” with two shows in Seoul, followed by concerts across Japan. Now in its eighth year since debut, SEVENTEEN is no stranger to selling out stadiums. In 2015, the 13-member ensemble released their first album and started developing a reputation in the K-pop scene as self-producing idols heavily involved in songwriting and choreographing. The group also stood out for its structure of having three sub-units: the vocal team, the performance team, and the hip-hop team. 13 members is larger than the size of most K-pop acts, and the unit performances on most of SEVENTEEN’s albums and at their concerts highlighted individual members’ singing, dancing, and rapping prowess. Their global fanbase has grown over the years, and in October 2023 SEVENTEEN broke their own record for the highest K-pop album preorder sales in history: logging 5.2 million copies for their EP “Seventeenth Heaven.”
Even before the concert took place, the buzz of excitement from SEVENTEEN’s fans could be detected around Bangkok. Nowhere was this more evident than at the Siam Discovery mall, where HYBE, SEVENTEEN’s label, had launched a pop-up celebrating the group. Hundreds of Carats lined up in the shopping center waiting for their turn to enter the installation, titled “SEVENTEEN Follow the City Bangkok,” which runs until Feb. 16. It featured everything from costumes worn in the music video for the 2023 hit song “Super” and exclusive merchandise featuring the 13 members, to a 360 photo booth adorned with jewels in the shades of rose quartz and serenity blue.
A few minutes after 6PM, the lights inside Rajamangala dimmed and cheers erupted throughout the stadium. All at once, the members of SEVENTEEN—Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino emerged from beneath the stage clad in white and gold. (The two eldest members, S.Coups and Jeonghan, were absent because of health-related hiatuses.) Vocalist Woozi crooned the melody of the first song, “Super,” after being lifted into the air. Across the three-and-a-half hours, SEVENTEEN impressed with their dynamic vocals, precise choreography, and, of course, their signature goofiness (Eg. Largest member Mingyu dragging smallest member Woozi across the stage in a Santa bag, just because). Here were the best moments from the show.
The three units each delivered
a unique flavor
Each of SEVENTEEN’s three units added a distinct tone to the concert: Dreamy and romantic for the vocal team, sexy and chic for the performance team, and fiery and hard-hitting for the hip-hop team. Every unit performed two songs, and together displayed the range in SEVENTEEN’s musical genre and visual concept. During the vocal unit’s act, Joshua, Woozi, DK, and Seungkwan flexed their pipes singing ballad-esque tracks while dressed in denim that gave boy-next-door vibes. The stadium was filled with a warm and inviting energy as the four smiling artists sang the dulcet “Dust” against a background of cotton candy pink and blue clouds. And when the unit performed “Pinwheel,” Joshua, Woozi, DK, and Seungkwan stepped onto a circular platform that spun gently. The set-up couldn’t be more fitting for the track’s message: Even if the listener gets lost and and has to go around in circles, SEVENTEEN will remain in place and wait for them.
The atmosphere changed when the performance team made their entrance. Jun, Hoshi, The8, and Dino were dressed in dapper suits as they danced to “Highlight,” a track marked by lithe movements and sharp angles. But the most shocking part of their set came in the transition between that song and “I Don’t Understand But I Luv U.” As the music changed, Jun, Hoshi, The8, and Dino slowly removed their jackets. One by one, the artists loosened their ties, tossed them to the floor, and unbuttoned the top of their white dress shirts. They began the most seductive performance of the evening to the sound of deafening screams. Last but not least, the hip-hop team set the stage ablaze with “Fire.” When Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Vernon performed this song, bursts of flame spewed from the ground to the track’s rhythm. Dressed in bold red, the three rappers commanded the stage as they delivered verses with fervor. Even before “Fire,” they made a roaring entrance performing “Back It Up” while sitting on a tank. This trio came ready to strike, and no one sitting in Rajamangala could avoid their impact.
An already “Hot” stage
turned hotter
SEVENTEEN’s 2022 anthem “Hot,” with its sultry tone and explosive choreography, was already one of the most highly anticipated performances. And the group delivered a version of the song that surpassed expectations. When “Hot” reached its final verse, the music showed no signs of stopping. Instead, the 11 members gathered at the center of the stage and motioned for the crowd to join in on chanting the refrain. “Everybody sing!” The usually gentle Joshua opened both arms and yelled. “One more time, one more time!” Hoshi, whose level of energy is unrivaled in the group, turned it up another notch and shouted. The stadium rang with Carats’ voices as everyone followed SEVENTEEN’s lead, before the artists stepped back into formation for one more surprise.
With youngest member Dino leading the charge, the group sang and danced to the post-chorus of “Hot” again (keep in mind this is one of SEVENTEEN’s most demanding choreographies, requiring spins, stomps, and even squats). In this final iteration, the skies lit up the moment the post-chorus began. Booming fireworks cast a red and orange glow on the 11 members.As a K-pop group known for synchronization among 13 members, SEVENTEEN’s performances are impressive enough on their own. Coupled with the special effects at Rajamangala Stadium, this sequence produced the show’s most electrifying moment.
The crowd rejoiced at a surprise performance of “God of Music”
While SEVENTEEN’s lead singles in recent years are characterized by a darker tone compared to their earlier releases of upbeat, cheery pop songs, their latest title track, “God of Music,” was in many ways a return to that bright and youthful sound. When the group released “God of Music” in October 2023, the “Follow” tour had already started. Across the group’s stops in Korea and Japan, this song about music being a universal language was not on the setlist. But that changed at the first concert in Bangkok when SEVENTEEN replaced 2015’s “Adore U” with “God of Music.” While the funky track from the group’s debut album was definitely missed, Carats embraced the introduction of the newest song with eager arms. After all, so many had been longing for the opportunity to sing the jubilant and addictive hook of “God of Music” in unison with other fans. And on this day, SEVENTEEN helped fulfill that hope.
“Kung chi pak chi, kung kung chi pak chi, yeah,” the tens of thousands gathered sang joyfully. The words sound like beats of a drum, reflecting the song’s message that connection can be formed through music among those who speak different languages. It’s something the artists in the group have experienced themselves: hailing from Korea, China, and the U.S. but having become brothers over the past 8-plus years. And on an evening when SEVENTEEN brought together fans of all backgrounds, “God of Music” perfectly captured the spirit of the gathering.
