It's been five years of non-stop hard work and subsequently soaring global success for K-pop group Seventeen, the thirteen-member collective known for their flawlessly synchronised performances and their personal involvement in all the content they produce. As is the case for the vast majority of us, this year didn't go quite to plan for the group — their Ode To You world tour was cut short in February due to the coronavirus pandemic — but that hasn't stopped them from providing comfort and support to their fans, known as Carats, when they have arguably needed it most.
Only four months after the monumental success of their last EP, Heng:garae, Seventeen are back with another. The six tracks on ; [Semicolon] take their cues from the unprecedented and uncertain times we're living through; they explore the necessity of taking this time to breathe, reflect, and enjoy youth in the moment, and the notion that our deepest emotions remain valuable and valid, even when the world is at a standstill. "Take a break," reads the text that closed out ; [Semicolon]'s pre-release concept trailer. "There's a long journey ahead of you."
It's a message of comfort and camaraderie for Seventeen's fans, and their appreciation has been reflected in ; [Semicolon]'s success: the group has already sold over a million copies of the EP worldwide.
But while Seventeen may highlight the importance of taking a break with their new music, that doesn't mean they're slowing down any time soon. What does ; [Semicolon] represent to Seventeen? "It represents a pause before our takeover," rapper Vernon tells BuzzFeed News.
Over email, I asked the group's 13 members — S.Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, Vernon, Woozi, Jeonghan, Joshua, DK, Seungkwan, Hoshi, Jun, The8, and Dino — all about their work on ; [Semicolon], how their new music fits into the story of Seventeen, and their words of comfort for their Carats.
The concept photos for ; [Semicolon] have a vintage feel completely different than anything you’ve done before. How important is it for you to show new sides of Seventeen with each new project?
DK: Our expressions have matured as we've become more experienced, further expanding the depth and breadth of our performances. We believe that presenting these aspects of Seventeen is how we can return the love and support received from our Carats. Please look forward to our unique performances and various charms of Seventeen that can be loved by all generations regardless of age or gender.
SEUNGKWAN: Just like how a piece of clothing can look completely different depending on who wears it, we wanted to interpret the 'retro' concept in our own way and express it through Seventeen's unique colours.
We realised that the process of having a bond of sympathy through sharing and communicating each other's feelings is powerful. Hence, we included those essential elements into our lyrics, so that not only [young people], but also people of all backgrounds who listen to our songs could strongly relate through Seventeen's unique retro concept.
The album's concept trailer emphasises the necessity of rest and play alongside work. Where did that idea come from? What have the members been doing during their play and rest times while working on this album?
JEONGHAN: We brainstorm and express new ideas [as] we get inspired throughout the album preparation period. While taking a break, each of us engage in hobbies that we enjoy. We also get to spend time together with members that share similar hobbies.
DINO: I wanted to deliver comfort and a sense of empathy to everybody.
The last few months have been unpredictable and challenging for everyone, but you also had huge success with your last EP in June. How has life changed for Seventeen since releasing Heng:garae? Did those changes affect your creative process for this album in any way?
WONWOO: We worked on this album under bigger pressure and expectations, which subsequently resulted in better music.
THE 8: As much as we received greater love, our appreciation and eagerness to return that love has grown even more. I would love to do the same with this album and show various aspects of our music.
What was the inspiration behind your title track, "Home;Run"? What was the experience of writing and producing it like?
WOOZI: We get inspired from all aspects of our daily lives rather than from a particular thing. It could be a note I wrote down while talking to my members. I think that the various stories and ideas collected from our daily lives help us create music that many people can relate to.
WONWOO: We try to fuse our feelings, thoughts, or messages we want to deliver into our music. In that sense, the lead single "Home;Run" is a song that best represents Seventeen of today.
Which B-side song from the album is most meaningful to each member individually, and why?
MINGYU: "All My Love," because it accurately depicts Seventeen's discontentment and desire to do better.
SEUNGKWAN: Every song is meaningful, but I also feel more attached to "All My Love" because the lyrics contain the messages we want to tell our Carats.
You're known for your involvement in all the content you produce. What aspect of this new music are you each most proud of?
JOSHUA: It would definitely be "Ah! Love" in this album because this is the song that I participated the most in.
HOSHI: I'm most proud of our own distinct music and its identity that no one else is able to replicate.
For this album's unit tracks, you were split into never-before-seen groups based on age. How did you make the decision to form these units? What was the experience of working within these new units like?
JEONGHAN: We formed four different unit groups mixed in different ages in order to show Seventeen's limitless charms and versatility. I had a lot of fun working with these new unit groups that allowed us to express the unique colours and charms of every member of the team. I hope our fans can feel the different chemistry and fresh vibes through this new approach. We're nervous and excited to hear what fans think about this!
Was there any element of making this new album that was particularly challenging?
S.COUPS: It may sound ironic, but the success of Heng:garae was a big challenge when preparing this album. We took this pressure, however, as a stepping stone upon which we could work even harder.
MINGYU: For me, it wasn't challenging, but there was some pressure in crafting good music, which motivated me to be more experimental with my work.
Have any of the members tried out something new creatively (for example composing, producing, directing music videos) this time around? If so, what was that experience like?
MINGYU: As usual, we actively engage in discussions with our staff members when preparing for a new album. We feel more confident about performing when our opinions get reflected.
DK: With Woozi and [long-time collaborator] Bumzu taking central roles, it was a collective effort by all of us. In particular, the mixed unit tracks had the most participation from the members. We discussed what stories to include and how to arrange the song — we were proud to see the songs getting more and more filled with our ideas.
With Heng:garae, you explored a brighter concept and sang about letting go of the fears referenced on An Ode — is the music on this EP a continuation of that feeling? How does ; [Semicolon] fit into the story of Seventeen?
WOOZI: If our last album Heng:garae provided "healing" to youth with energetic and cheerful vibes, with this album, we wanted to deliver words of comfort that it's okay to take a break in the endless journey to your dream, as shown in the lyrics of the lead single "Home;Run."
DINO: The restless youth in An Ode, a message of encouragement to those youth in Heng:garae, and the comfort we send in ; [Semicolon] — these three are all connected.
Throughout the promotions for this album, you've emphasised the importance of not only taking a break, but also taking the time to enjoy youth in the moment. Why is that an important message for you to send to your fans?
VERNON: We wanted to encourage the youths who needed to hear, "It's okay to take a break, and it's not a waste of time, but a process to prepare for the next step in your journey," so that they can look around and take a breath rather than just keep moving forward.
We also wanted to inspire them to enjoy youth in the moment and provide confidence to take a pause in order to resume their upcoming journey.
Heng:garae was a huge success, and you'll no doubt gain even more new Carats with ; [Semicolon]. What would you say to fans who are discovering your music for the first time in 2020? What would you recommend to watch or listen to to get to know Seventeen best?
JOSHUA: I recommend watching the music video of "Don't Wanna Cry," and listening to "Left & Right."
JUN: The songs and performances you've seen so far are just one out of the many faces of Seventeen. We welcome you joining our group filled with limitless potential! I recommend listening to "Fallin' Flower" and watching the music video of "Home;Run."
; [Semicolon] has already seen huge success commercially, and has been a hit with Carats. How do you feel seeing that response? What reactions from fans have been your favourite?
HOSHI: Seeing Carats enjoying our new songs and performances in ; [Semicolon] as well as getting comforted and encouraged from our music make me feel so proud!
And finally, people all over the world have been through a challenging time in recent months. What message do you want Carats to take away from the songs on this album?
S.COUPS: It's okay to take a break if you feel exhausted. We'll be together on that path.
; [Semicolon] is available to buy and stream now.
