Seventeen bedazzles Seoul at 10th debut anniversary celebration

Fans gather at K-pop boy band Seventeen's 10th anniversary event, "B-DAY PARTY," at Seom Sevit in Seoul's Seocho District, Sunday. Courtesy of Pledis Entertainment

By Pyo Kyung-min

• Published May 25, 2025 6:36 PM KST
• Updated May 26, 2025 2:15 PM KST

Drawing approximately 100,000 fans, K-pop powerhouse Seventeen turned Seoul into a sprawling celebration of its 10th anniversary, marking the boy band's journey since it burst onto the scene a decade ago.

The large-scale event, titled "B-DAY PARTY," kicked off Friday around the city's Seom Sevit islets at Jamsu Bridge in Seocho District, spanning three days of exhibitions, performances and interactive experiences.

Despite the early summer heat on Sunday, the final day of the event, fans arrived in droves — some dressed in the group's colors of rose and soft blue, while others clutched the group's official light sticks.

Among them were longtime Korean fans, international visitors who traveled to see Seventeen and families simply taking in the festive atmosphere.

"I've been a fan of Seventeen for nearly six to seven years," said Samantha, a 25-year-old fan from Canada. "It feels weird to be here celebrating. I want to say happy birthday and thank them for working so hard. I love everything they do and will keep supporting them."

Another fan, Bree from the Philipines, said she flew all the way to Seoul from California just to attend her favorite idol's anniversary event.

"I've been a CARAT (Seventeen's official fandom) since day one. From their debut, I listened to them and fell in love instantly. I just had to come and celebrate their 10th anniversary!"

To meet fan enthusiasm, Pledis Entertainment, a HYBE Labels subsidiary and home to Seventeen, organized a range of fan engagement activities across the celebration.

On Seom Sevit, fans explored a "Seventeen History Zone" chronicling the group's journey; an interactive message zone for leaving congratulatory notes; and a merchandise booth selling items from the group's upcoming fifth studio album along with a special 10th-anniversary light stick.

A photo card exchange booth rewarded fans who completed a stamp tour of the venue, while brand booths from brands endorsed by the group or its members, including CJ CheilJedang's Bibigo and cosmetics label NARS, also attracted crowds.

The celebration's culminative finale came Sunday night with "B-DAY PARTY: BURST Stage @Jamsu Bridge," marking the first time a K-pop act has performed on the Han River.

The concert was streamed live on large LED screens in Banpo Hangang Park and broadcast globally via HYBE Labels' and the Seoul city government's YouTube channels, as well as on Weverse and Naver's ZEPETO platform, allowing fans worldwide to join virtually.

According to Pledis, all major programs, including the concert and pop-up experiences, were fully booked immediately after reservations opened.

Fans from 138 countries and regions, including Japan, China, the U.S., the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, visited the official website to participate in digital stamp events and reserve tickets.

The festivities extend beyond the weekend.

Major Seoul landmarks will remain decorated with Seventeen-themed visuals through next month, including several bridges over the Han River.

The outer wall of HYBE's Yongsan headquarters is also currently draped with a giant banner reading, "SEVENTEEN WILL CHALLENGE ETERNITY," while nearby parks have been transformed into photo zones.

Large-scale ads marking the group's 10th anniversary and upcoming album release have gone up in cities across the country, including Busan, Daegu, Gwangju and Daejeon, as well as overseas in the U.S., Japan and China.

Following the celebration, Seventeen is set to release its fifth full-length album, "HAPPY BURSTDAY," at 6 p.m. on May 26. The upcoming record includes lead single "THUNDER," group tracks like "HBD" and "Bad Influence" — the latter produced by Pharrell Williams — and solo songs from all 13 members.