SEVENTEEN
SEVENTEEN wraps up 2023 with unprecedented records, cementing it as an unquestionably SEVENTEEN-centric year.
SEVENTEEN (consisting of S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, The8, Mingyu, DK, Seungkwan, Vernon, Dino) not only shattered its own records but solidified its status as the “best K-pop group” with outstanding achievements both nationally and internationally.
- Album Sales Surpassing 16 Million… Artist Greatness Multiplied
SEVENTEEN made a significant mark in K-pop this year with the release of its 10th mini-album “FML” (released on April 24th) and its 11th mini-album “SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN” (released on October 23th).
“FML” sold over 3.99 million copies on the first day, becoming the best-selling solo K-pop album of all time, with a total of 6.28 million copies sold. With “FML“, SEVENTEEN set a new benchmark in K-pop by selling the most copies on the first day.
Moreover, “SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN” topped K-pop album sales by recording 5.09 million copies in the first week. This album became the first to surpass 5 million copies on its release. With increased fan support, SEVENTEEN exceeded 16 million albums sold, demonstrating its status as a “million-artist“.
- Topping Japanese Music Charts… A Unique Achievement!
SEVENTEEN‘s achievements were also noted in Japan. In the 2023 Oricon annual ranking in Japan (compilation period from December 26th, 2022, to December 18th, 2023), the group ranked 3rd with the mini-album “FML“, 5th with its Japanese album “ALWAYS YOURS“, and 7th with “SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN“. SEVENTEEN achieved the exceptional feat of placing all three works in the TOP 10 of album sales in Japan, setting a unique record in the history of Japanese and Korean music.
Furthermore, in the respective first-week sales of “FML” (552,000 copies) and the Japanese album “ALWAYS YOURS” (512,000 copies), SEVENTEEN took the first and second places in foreign artist album sales for 2023. They accomplished a rare feat by surpassing 500 thousands copies sold for two consecutive works by foreign artists.
With this momentum, SEVENTEEN will perform at the iconic Japanese music festival “NHK” for the “74th Kohaku Uta Gassen,” on December 31st. Its participation in this major event, where Japan’s most beloved artists of the year gather, holds special significance.
- 23 Concerts Totaling Over 1 Million Audience… True Masters of the Show
SEVENTEEN proved its stage mastery by selling out all tickets for its 23 concerts this year, including the fan meeting in Korea “SEVENTEEN in CARAT LAND” (March), the fan meeting in Japan “SEVENTEEN 2023 JAPAN FANMEETING ‘LOVE’” (May), and the tour “SEVENTEEN TOUR ‘FOLLOW‘” (July to December).
With a total of 23 concerts, SEVENTEEN attracted over 800,000 in-person attendees and 270,000 online viewers (via live streaming and live viewing), totaling over 1 million spectators. This figure represents an increase of 200,000 from the previous year, demonstrating consistent growth despite a lower number of concerts.
Especially, its urban event “SEVENTEEN ‘FOLLOW’ THE CITY” was simultaneously organized with the dome tour in Japan, reaching a record scale in five major cities. More than 30 business partners participated in the event, with over 70 programs in total. Participation tripled compared to the previous year, attracting 78,000 participants and coloring the entire Japan with SEVENTEEN‘s hues.
SEVENTEEN will continue its “festival” with the “SEVENTEEN TOUR ‘FOLLOW’ TO ASIA“, to be held on January 13th-14th in the Philippines and January 20th-21th in Macao.
- First Price at MAMA Awards, Moving Speech at UNESCO for CARATs
In November last year, SEVENTEEN made historical strides as a K-pop artist, taking the stage at UNESCO in Paris during the “13th UNESCO Youth Forum“. With a dedicated special session, the group delivered an hour of speech and performance, moving young people worldwide as well as its fans.
SEVENTEEN pledged to expand the educational campaign #GoingTogether, conducted in collaboration with the National Commission of UNESCO in Korea, globally. It emphasized that mutual learning through solidarity is the path to realizing dreams, asserting that learning, just like SEVENTEEN did, can change an individual, broaden their dreams, and ultimately change the world.
Finally, at the “2023 MAMA Awards” last December, SEVENTEEN was crowned with five awards, including the coveted “Album of the Year“. On stage, the members shared their profound thoughts:
“Throughout our years as SEVENTEEN, we often wondered, ‘With the name SEVENTEEN, could we ever win this award?’ Thanks to our CARATs, we were able to renew our contract and win this award. We therefore want to dedicate this award to the CARATs.”
Continuing to elevate its career with every album, SEVENTEEN, with constant success, is gearing up for its ninth debut anniversary next year, raising high expectations for its future global activities.
Journalist: Leo
Translator: Leo
Source: Pledis Entertainment
