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| Photo Courtesy of: Fabian Kirchner |
SEVENTEEN is a group that needs little to no introduction to K-pop fans across Europe. Since their debut in 2015, they have steadily risen in popularity. As they approach their tenth anniversary, they have gone on to sell an impressive 26 million albums.
Despite going on tours around the world, Europe unfortunately missed out seeing them on their Ode to You tour, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. However, they made their European debut in the U.K. this June, becoming the first K-pop group to perform at the legendary Glastonbury festival. This past Sunday, they achieved another milestone as the first K-pop group to headline Lollapalooza Berlin.
No matter where you went in Berlin over the weekend, you could find CARATS (SEVENTEEN’S fandom) almost anywhere. If the sun hadn’t already been shining, the real brightness would have come from the sea of glowing diamond CARAT bongs in the air. Although the line-up was strong with Sunday headliners Sam Smith and Niall Horan from One Direction, the crowd was there for 13 boys from Seoul: S.Coups, Joshua, Jeonghan, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, The 8, Jun (who was unfortunately busy filming for an upcoming Chinese project), Seungkwan, DK, Vernon, Mingyu, and Dino.
With eager fans waiting since 4am, the dedication was in full swing before the day had even started. Later in the afternoon, before SEVENTEEN’S performance, the U.K. rock band Nothing But Thieves, who were also playing the south stage, thanked CARATS for listening to them, despite knowing the real reason was thanks to SEVENTEEN. But the audience welcomed them, happily waving their lightsticks and cheering nonetheless.
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| Photo Courtesy of: Fabian Kirchner |
The atmosphere was exactly as one would hope for, buzzing with excitement and ready to party. As the countdown began, SEVENTEEN’S slogan appeared on the screen, further hyping up the audience with a pre-warm up playing their latest single, Maestro. Not that it was needed, as the dial jumped from an already electrifying ten to an ear-splitting magnitude.
They kicked off with Super, the perfect fast-paced, dramatic opener that had everyone waiting to shout out in unison, ”SEVENTEEN right here.” Known for their grand dance numbers, Super demanded a massive stage presence, which they flawlessly delivered, as they did later with Maestro. With both tracks having well-known routines and with a large team of backup dancers, they delivered a show-stopping group choreography.
The icing on the cake of this already impressive starter was each member's performance. The hip-hop unit dominated with their intense rapping, while the vocalists harmonised together brilliantly. Together, they proved exactly why they continue to thrive after ten years and why their comebacks keep on getting better.
Vernon addressed the audience: “We know how much you have waited for us. Not only is it our first time in Berlin, but it’s our first time to perform at Lollapalooza and our first time headlining it. It’s all thanks to you guys.” Joshua teased about what was to come, promising their upcoming unit stages would be full of surprises. And indeed they did, with BSS (Hoshi, Seungkwan, and DK) appearing with their smash hit Fighting.
The track which was released from their 2023 mini-album Second Wind went on to become viral. With its uplifting lyrics wishing everyone a good working day, the accompanying routine became popular across social media, making it more fun to experience and dance to live in person.
The performance line took it slow and serenaded everyone with the dreamy Spell, a seductive number that prompted screams at a fever pitch level. Dino, Minghao, and Hoshi made the stage their own with their sensual choreography. While it seems simple to follow, it requires a certain aurora and star quality that only they can truly pull off.
Do you remember those carefree summers when you were younger? The ones you didn't want to finish and seemed to last forever? It’s songs like Cheers to Youth that were written for moments like this.
The vocal line members DK, Seungkwan, Woozi, Joshua, and Jeonghan beautifully brought the song to life. While the combined vocals were excellent, it was DK who stole the spotlight with his high-pitched notes that washed across like a gentle, reassuring hug.
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| Photo Courtesy of: Fabian Kirchner |
By creating a well-structured setlist that highlighted not only their extensive ten-year discography, but it showcased what they’re renowned for: a group that can self-produce and write relatable songs about perseverance and celebrating life.
From soft and sweet to fierce and ferocious, the hip-hop unit was up next, made up of leader S.Coups, Mingyu, Vernon, and Wonwoo, who all strutted out ready to ignite the crowd with their explosive track Fire. When the hip-hop line performs, it’s more than an air of confidence; they radiate charisma. Appearing in sunglasses and jumping straight into rapping the irresistible line, “I got the fire.”
This was followed by the leader's unit, delivering the iconic and mighty Cheers to the delight of many. The rest of the members soon joined in for the famous dance break and the fan-favourite line, “Eongdeongi Pang Pang,” prompting everyone to break out into the cheeky bum shake. It was hard to tell who was having more fun at this point-the fans or the boys, who were eager to out-twerk each other.
After demonstrating how good they were as units, it was time to focus on the classics that helped put them on the map in South Korea and worldwide. If being packed amongst thousands in 31 degrees wasn’t hot enough, they riled everyone up with the hottest song they have in their collection.
The 2022 track Hot, with its staggered, slow buildup and the accompanying electric guitar, sent the crowd wild, who were ready to sing “모두 우릴 쳐다봐 (봐).” This resulted in a unified dance party, with everyone dripping in sweat, looking like glazed donuts but performing confidently irregardless.
Those who watch the boys’ variety web series show GOING SEVENTEEN’S (GOSE) know the various levels of loud, chaotic, and charismatic personalities they all have. That is the exact same energy they brought to Berlin. Given their popularity, they could have been overconfident, knowing how warmly accepted they’d be received. However, if anything, they treated the set like a debut, going above and beyond to demonstrate their wide range of talent.
The playfulness between the members was like a wave of joy, leaving the crowd smiling from ear to ear. Thankfully, there were no long endments, just light-hearted and sincere conversations about finally being in Europe, and were grateful to be headlining such a major stage. Seungkwan and Hoshi did a fantastic job of making sure everyone engaged in talking, while Joshua and Vernon translated the jokes and comments, which mainly focused on their amazement at how crazy and hard the fans were going.
Seungkwan asked, looking concerned, “Hey, are you guys not tired?” The passionate yet stubborn response of “No!” took him aback, to the laughter from the members thanks to his shocked reaction. Meanwhile, the crowd sporadically chanted “SEVENTEEN,” to which the group responded with “Berlin.”
Another touching chant took place for vocalist Jeonghan, who will miss the upcoming US tour due to enlistment next month. Marking Lollapalooza as the final performance before joining the military. The chanting and excitement from the audience were so strong that they could have powered the illuminated 100-foot Ferris Wheel next to the stage.
They thrived on this energy, which they fed off and amplified in return. It's what made hearing Headliner live so moving. The song, dedicated to the fandom, saw everyone swaying together, taking a breather, and absorbing the atmosphere. It’s also easy to overlook how large and open the Olympiastadion is, it could easily have swallowed the sound, and reaching those live vocal high-notes is no easy task.
God of Music added a burst of summer goodness, with a flowery background that provided so much colour, light, and happiness to an otherwise dreary and sun-dried field.
Kpop shows are often a whirlwind of visuals, VCR’s, costume changes, and sometimes over- the-top stage productions that can overshadow the performances themselves. However, SEVENTEEN took a different approach, skipping the opening VCR’s, and instead they were the focus from the start. Each of the three stages was tailored to complement every song, be it through graphics from their music videos or beautifully subtle animations.
They struck the perfect balance by including a live band, which brought an extra punch to tracks that require that power, such as HOT, CLAP, and Rock with You. But the real joy came watching their ability to seamlessly transition between intense, synchronised choreography to moments of carefree fun amongst themselves. As for the crowd, it stretched out for what looked like acres of tiny ants, all gathered to finally see SEVENTEEN in Europe. To the outside world, you would have believed this was their own concert, let alone part of a festival line-up.
A SEVENTEEN show wouldn’t be complete without the traditional fan favourite, Aju Nice. Known as the never-ending encore, getting to Aju Nice-ing for ten minutes in all its chaotic glory was a bucket list ticked. Members Mingyu and S.Coups made their way down to the fans, interacting with them and singing along, all while lovingly admiring the sea of excited faces.
Seungkwan selected a lucky person to sing out the famous high-note (another popular tradition.) It’s a light-hearted way for the boys to leave a lasting impression, and in a weird unison, the language barrier is completely diminished thanks to the silliness that comes from the song. With well timed confetti cannons, it became the encore of dreams.
For the many who travelled to Berlin to see their favourite artists perform 19 numbers in just over 90 minutes, the ten-year wait was more than worthwhile. If anything, it proved that Korean acts not only attract record-breaking crowds to Europe but can also deliver a set that justifies the long journeys and are happy to wait whatever the weather.
To say 90% of the Sunday was attended by CARATS might be a stretch, but they certainly transformed Lollapalooza into their own CARATland. Following the performance, the festival curator gave a speech thanking everyone for their enthusiasm and being so passionate in the lead up to the show. Sunday was undeniably dedicated to SEVENTEEN, the unwavering support from CARATS, and the power of Aju Nice.
SEVENTEEN Setlist:
‘Super’
‘Don Quixote’
‘Darl+ing’
‘Ready to love’
‘Rock with you’
‘Left & Right’
‘Fighting’
‘Cheers to youth’
‘Spell’
‘Fire’
‘CHEERS’
‘CLAP’
‘MAESTRO’
‘SOS’
‘HOT’
‘Headliner’
‘Together (English ver.)’
‘God Of Music’
‘VERY NICE
For those who couldn't make the event, YouTube live-streamed to fans across the world and can be watched below.