Category: Pop

K-Pop global sensation SEVENTEEN delivered two unforgettable nights of captivating performances, stunning costume changes, and lighthearted antics to New York’s own UBS Arena as a part of their SEVENTEEN [RIGHT HERE] World Tour, celebrating the group’s accomplishments and current endeavors alongside their international fanbase.

Since their last US tour in 2022, 13 piece K-Pop powerhouse SEVENTEEN has seen a skyrocketing level of success. The first Korean Pop act to headline Lollapalooza Berlin and perform on Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage, the group is no stranger to making and breaking records- they are, after all, the group responsible for the best selling K-Pop album of all time at more than six million sales with their release FML.

Currently embarking on their SEVENTEEN [RIGHT HERE] World Tour, the group looks back on what they have accomplished thus far and forwards into the exciting future ahead of them as they span venues across the United States and Asia- including New York’s very own UBS Arena in Belmont. 

This tour’s two nights in Belmont marks the group’s fourth visit to the New York area, especially exciting for SEVENTEEN member and New York native Vernon who has noted that his memories of the city are especially precious as they are tied to touring with his group and being able to return to his birthplace time and time again thanks to the group’s global fanbase.

October 25 marked the first of two nights SEVENTEEN was to spend in New York, and the anticipation for the night could be felt well before the show had commenced- as all seasoned K-Pop fans will tell you, the concert truly begins hours prior. The closer to the venue, the more it was possible to pick out fellow Carats- that is to say SEVENTEEN fans (named in reference to the carats that make a diamond shine)- decked out in elaborate, fabulously curated, and sometimes even handmade outfits alongside positively glowing faces as they anticipated the show to come.

The themes for the night’s outfits were rather distinct- the first party donning seventeen’s signature color palette of pink, blue, and white, the second dressed in black and pops of sparkling red in reference to the group’s recent release “Maestro,” and the third subtle- or not so subtle- nods to fanbase favorite moments and inside jokes, including but not limited to member Hoshi’s passion for tigers and iconic “Horangae” claw pose and the now infamous black, red, and white jacket worn by two competitors on group-forming competition show Boys Planet where they performed SEVENTEEN’s “HOT”.

Outfits are only the beginning of the concert necessities, however. Carats carrying both official and custom pickets depicting the fan’s favorite member or a celebratory slogan, the group’s official light stick either freshly purchased or bedazzled to the gods, paper banners from fan projects with encouraging messages written in Korean for the members to see, and homemade goods for any and everyone lovingly referred to as “freebies” filled the halls of UBS, the merchandise and food lines a fanbase mixer and the concourse a runway.

Inside the Arena, the pre-concert sparkle was in full effect. Carats were excitedly syncing their light sticks for the corresponding light show to come, posing for photos, and exchanging even more freebies (I was gifted an adorable custom SEVENTEEN at UBS Arena photo card from a lovely blue t-shirt and face glitter clad duo as they made their rounds), singing along to the music videos playing and most noticeably- dancing.

For the uninitiated, dance is its whole own beast in K-Pop. Almost every single release comes with corresponding choreography that some fans will learn to the point of recording in fully produced videos or forming a group dedicated to covering their favorite artists’ moves. 

SEVENTEEN in particular shines on the dance floor. The group’s dedicated performance unit includes members Hoshi, Jun, The8, and Dino, though it truly isn’t difficult to describe the entire group as a set of all-rounders- that is, artists who have mastered the dancing, singing, and rapping aspects of their career.

Just prior to the SEVENTEEN [RIGHT HERE] tour kicking off, it was announced that members Jun and Jeonghan would not be participating. As of September 26, Jeonghan began his mandatory South Korean military service, and Jun is currently exploring acting opportunities in China. While heartbroken, fans took the loss in stride, their presences felt in the arena throughout the night with pre-recorded vocals playing during their parts and accompanying visuals depicting the group as the full roster of thirteen. The two were sorely missed but present all the same.

As SEVENTEEN took the stage, the energy was electric. Wonwoo sang the opening line to “Fear” as the ring of backup dancers around him collapsed to the ground, the production leaning into full-on theatrics right off of the bat.

The red screen behind those on stage already split down the middle to reveal the remainder of the members stood upon a pyramid of stairs, their silhouettes a striking visual. By the time the full group had united on the main stage, fireworks had been set off and lasers were in full effect, setting an exciting precedent for the rest of the evening.

Captivating performances of “Fearless”, “MAESTRO”, “ASH”, and “CRUSH” followed with intermittent VCR interludes paired with an introductory ment from each member that established a communal excitement for the remainder of the show.

The first section of the night was concluded with a VCR that allowed for the first of many costume changes, which led directly into a series of unit songs that allowed each set of members show off their specialized skillset. First up was the hip-hop/rap line comprised of S.Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Vernon with “Water” and “MONSTER”, the former featuring an absolutely addictive bit of choreography in the final chorus and the latter feeling perfectly timed for a show just over a week prior to Halloween.

Once “MONSTER” wrapped, it was time for the performance/dance line to shine. Members Hoshi, The8, and Dino took the stage to perform the effortlessly smooth track “Rain” that emphasized the trio’s fluidity and body control and “Lilili Yabbay”, named after the verbal counts the dancers used to memorize the track’s choreography. 

The vocal line- Woozi, Joshua, DK, and Seungkwan, took the stage after to perform “Candy” and “Cheers to youth”, the former perfect for a waltz in the rain and the latter a glitteringly nostalgic track that opened with corresponding confetti cannons and featured various polaroid photos of the members throughout the years behind them- a lovely testament to how far the group has come and yet another heartwarming nod to Jun and Jeonghan.

Introducing the next stage was a VCR depicting the group playing ping pong, showering one another in feathers during a pillow fight, and generally just enjoying one another’s company over a warm, homely backdrop. A metallic time machine-like structure delivered the group back on stage where they resumed their activities: lounging on bean bags, attempting a badminton rally, and playing basketball, the group’s familial rapport on full display. 

The following performance of “Oh My!” was intermittently paused to allow the members to tease one another, attempt a shot at the basketball hoop, and generally just mess about on stage. It was almost surreal to observe their banter live after seeing the same rappport on their web variety series GOING SEVENTEEN, which in turn proved that yes, they are genuinely that silly in person.

In a dramatic turn of events just prior to the final chorus, the members turned to the time machine only to find it had malfunctioned… and dropped them in the middle of the jungle. Various dancers emerged from the stage in inflatable costumes and engaged the members in an over-the-top dance battle that had the audience at the edge of their seats between bouts of laughter.

SEVENTEEN has made it clear that they don’t take themselves too seriously, and it’s no wonder why- they don’t feel the need to. The sillier moments like an inflatable costume dance battle are counterbalanced with their flawless performance and sharpened skills that speak for themselves in a way that culminates in an air of effortless entertainment. The group knows they’re talented, and because of this have no qualms leaning into the silly and absurd.

“Oh My!” was followed by a series of lighthearted tracks including personal favorite “Snap Shoot” and the ever-vibrant “God of Music,” closing out the third section of the show.

Other tracks performed after a costume change into a palette of effortlessly stylish neutrals include the group’s recent release “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” in collaboration with DJ Khaled, the strikingly impactful “MARCH” that had pyrotechnics for days, and arguably one of the group’s most successful releases, “Super”.

As is tradition for most if not all concerts, the end of “Super” marked the point in which the artist would make a casual goodbye and the audience would put on an act of pretending there isn’t an encore to be anticipated ahead of them- however, SEVENTEEN’s encore comes with terms and conditions. In order to determine the encore stage’s length, fans must first prove themselves through the power of dance. 

Cheers were heard throughout the stadium as the cameras panned from one fan to the next, dancing their hearts out to other fan favorite tracks absent from the set list, and lo and behold, the members re-appeared in their final outfits of the evening to perform “Adore U”.

Now came time for the time-honored SEVENTEEN tradition that every Carat dreams of experiencing at least once in their life. The real end of the show comes in the form of “VERY NICE”, or “AJU NICE” as it’s colloquially known, a track released on SEVENTEEN’s first album repackage. “AJU NICE” is iconic, “AJU NICE” is eternal, and “AJU NICE” is never ending- literally. The beginning of the song is a standard performance, the chorus exciting and bright, and then the members pivot to a dance battle with an audience member or pass the mic off to a fan near the barricade to sing a line or two, and plot twist- you’re right back in “AJU NICE”. 

All of this to say night one in New York wrapped with a total of eight “AJU NICE”s that felt so complete as a conclusion there was no need for the pretense of elongated will-they-won’t-they departures, as SEVENTEEN had left everything out on the floor, just as Carats had from their seats- something “AJU NICE” made sure of. The perfect bow on the evening, night one of SEVENTEEN in New York had come to a close.

An absolute tour-de-force in live performance, SEVENTEEN is not a group to be overlooked regardless of whether or not you’ve ventured into the K-Pop world before. Perfectly balancing precise skills and unbelievable vocals with incredibly down to earth attitudes and a clear, genuine love for bringing their music to the stage, SEVENTEEN is a refreshing class act that knows they’re talented and isn’t afraid to be themselves all the same.

Setlist: Intro + Fear / Intro + Fearless / MAESTRO / Prelude + ASH / CRUSH / Water / MONSTER / Rain / Lilili Yabbay / Candy / Cheers to youth / Intro + Oh My! / Snap Shoot / God of Music / HOME / Intro + LOVE, MONEY, FAME (feat. DJ Khaled) (English Ver.) / MARCH / SUPER / Adore U / ’bout you / Campfire / VERY NICE