SEVENTEEN is now one of K-pop’s most successful groups. During their trainee days, the 13 members trained together in a cramped studio — sometimes clashing, sometimes supporting one another — before finally debuting as a unified team in May 2015. To ensure that each member’s individual charm could shine, they adopted a distinctive three-unit structure: the Vocal Team (Woozi, Jeonghan, Joshua, DK, Seungkwan), the Hip-Hop Team (S.Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, Vernon), and the Performance Team (Hoshi, Jun, The8, Dino). 

Of course, what always came first was SEVENTEEN’s teamwork as 13 members. But it’s undeniable that the Performance Team, in charge of the group’s choreography and stage presence, the Vocal Team, led by producer Woozi and carrying the melodies of SEVENTEEN’s songs, and the Hip-Hop Team, adding a free-spirited vibe, are what make SEVENTEEN such a dynamic group.

SEVENTEEN have also pursued notable unit projects. The three-member unit BSS released two single albums, while Hoshi X Woozi — leaders of the Performance and Vocal Teams — dropped their first single album BEAM earlier this year and successfully wrapped up a fan concert tour. On Sept. 29, the Hip-Hop Team’s S.Coups and Mingyu launched their new unit, CxM, injecting a fresh burst of energy into the group’s evolving story.

“The whole process of making this album itself was truly enjoyable. Rather than trying to dress it up, our strongest intention was to honestly capture the kind of music the two of us could create together,” said S.Coups. Mingyu added, “S.Coups and I are alike in that we both want to share our tastes in a straightforward and natural way. That side of us naturally came through in this album as well.” With both two in complete agreement on wanting to present themselves as they are—without embellishment—their first mini album HYPE VIBES comes packed with six tracks that reflect their unfiltered chemistry.

Featuring Philadelphia-born singer-songwriter Lay Bankz  on the title track “5, 4, 3 (Pretty woman) (feat. Lay Bankz),” which interpolates Roy Orbison’s vintage pop classic “Oh, Pretty Woman,” comes as no surprise. SEVENTEEN have previously collaborated with a diverse roster of global artists, including Pink Sweat$, DJ Khaled, Anne-Marie, and Pharrell Williams, demonstrating their comfort with crossing international boundaries. Mingyu adds, “It wasn’t about targeting overseas listeners. We simply wanted to create music that everyone could enjoy, without language barriers.”

Since breaking onto the Billboard 200 for the first time with their eighth mini album Your Choice in 2021, SEVENTEEN have continued to rack up milestones. In 2024, they were honored with the Top K-pop Touring Artist award at the Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs), and their 10th-anniversary release HAPPY BURSTDAY, dropped in May, spent three consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200. Their 10th mini album, FML, released in 2023, sold a staggering 6.2 million copies, making it the year’s best-selling album in the world.

Having effortlessly filled stadiums in both South Korea and Japan and captured fans across Asia and North America, SEVENTEEN also made their mark in Europe last year, performing on the main stages at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK and Lollapalooza Berlin. With achievements like these, one can’t help but wonder: is there anywhere left for SEVENTEEN to go but up?

“Beyond the enjoyment of the creative process, our desire to keep moving forward and growing as SEVENTEEN remains strong,” S.Coups explains. “I believe this CxM activity is very much an extension of the group’s journey—one that adds even more color and musical depth to SEVENTEEN’s spectrum.” If his words are any indication, it’s clear the duo has no intention of slowing down. But right now, it’s the perfect moment to turn up the music and dance—and HYPE VIBES is exactly that kind of album. 

S.COUPS

On September 29, you and Mingyu released the first mini album, HYPE VIBES. As a member of SEVENTEEN, you’ve showcased various combinations before but this is your first time officially releasing a full-fledged album as a duo. What kind of synergy do you think you and Mingyu can best bring out together?

Not only do Mingyu and I click musically, but we also share similar tastes in style, fitness, and other areas, so we often talked about trying a unit together someday. Eventually, the timing lined up, and we were able to dive into this project in earnest. Since this album was created based on our own musical preferences, with songs carefully selected to fit the overall flow, we feel a deep attachment to it. We truly hope many people can feel and enjoy the same ‘VIBE’ that we do.

The album includes a total of six tracks, with BUMZU—who has been with SEVENTEEN since debut—also participating in the production. Which track was the easiest to work on or the biggest challenge?

It’s hard to make that comparison since each song carries its own memories. But if I had to choose the one that feels the most meaningful to me personally, it would definitely be the title track, “5, 4, 3 (Pretty Woman) (feat. Lay Bankz)”.

The inspiration behind “5, 4, 3 (Pretty Woman) (feat. Lay Bankz)” traces back to Roy Orbison’s 1964 classic “Oh, Pretty Woman”. With two members of SEVENTEEN’s hip-hop unit taking on a rock ’n’ roll track, it naturally shifts the expectations for the entire album. How did you make the decision?

We wanted to create a song that anyone could enjoy across generations, so after much thought, we chose this approach. We pictured today’s generation reinterpreting the music our parents loved. In the end, we’re really satisfied—it feels like a vintage pop song perfectly mixed with our own energy.

The album title HYPE VIBES brings to mind the bright, refreshing energy you’ve shown before with unit projects like “Check-In” and “What’s Good.” What’s your personal ‘VIBE’ like these days?

Making this album was such an enjoyable process, and I really wanted to share that feeling in the most natural way. We didn’t try to overdo anything—we just focused on being honest and making music that truly reflects the two of us for now. At the same time, I still have the same drive to keep growing as part of SEVENTEEN. For me, this unit activity feels like another step in expanding SEVENTEEN’s colors and showing an even wider range of music.

One of the tracks, “Young Again,” feels especially sentimental just from the title. For you, S.Coups, what’s something you never want to lose no matter how much time passes?

Youth. People often think of youth as a certain stage in life. But after spending my entire twenties as part of SEVENTEEN, I’ve come to realize that youth isn’t about age. As long as you enjoy each moment freely and wholeheartedly—even the ones that will never come back—you can carry that sense of youth into your forties, fifties, and beyond. And of course, I’d want to keep sharing that with the SEVENTEEN members too.

For SEVENTEEN’s 10th anniversary, you released your first solo track “Jungle (S.COUPS Solo)” on the album HAPPY BURSTDAY. Through working on your first solo track, did you discover anything new about yourself?

I wouldn’t say I discovered something brand-new, but I definitely realized something all over again: “Wow, I really love being on stage!” (laughs) While working on the song, I kept catching myself thinking about how I could bring it to life on stage—how I could show my truest self up there. When I finally performed it for the first time at a concert, I felt so happy and proud because the performance turned out just the way I had imagined it.

The first live performance of “Jungle (S.COUPS Solo)” took place on September 13 and 14 during the SEVENTEEN WORLD TOUR [NEW_], in front of tens of thousands of fans. The response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. This was also SEVENTEEN’s first concert stage with just the nine members performing together, without those currently serving or about to enlist. What was that experience like?

Performing as nine on such a massive stage, and showing “Jungle (S.COUPS Solo)” for the first time, of course came with its pressures. But that nervousness only lasts until we start preparing. Once we’re on stage, the fans’ energy lifts us naturally—it moves us to perform our best. Every time we release a new album or take on a new challenge, I feel that same determination to give back the love and warmth we share with our fans.

If the alien creatures Kuute and Mante, who appeared in the album trailer came to Seoul, what’s the first place you’d want to show them?

It doesn’t have to be Seoul, actually—it would have to be a SEVENTEEN concert! Kuute and Mante are friends who recharge their energy through music and interaction, and the concert stage is the perfect place where all of that comes to life.

Album trailer link

MINGYU

You’ve previously worked on “Bittersweet(feat.LeeHi)” with Wonwoo in 2021, but this is the first time you’re releasing a full mini album as a duo. Now that you’re promoting as the unit CxM with S.Coups, what kind of synergy do you think you two can show?

I think our synergy comes from our common ground. Both S.Coups and I want to honestly and naturally express our own tastes, and that similarity shows in this album as well. At the same time, our personalities are different, and I think the contrast adds another layer to our synergy. It’s like when members with similar traits come together within SEVENTEEN—you notice the similarities at first, but if you look closer, the differences stand out too. I think that’s a fun point for listeners to enjoy in this album.

How would you describe Mingyu’s current ‘VIBE’? SEVENTEEN is a group that never settles and is always striving to grow—did you feel this was the right moment to show a more playful side through the album?

I think there’s a balance between the desire to keep growing and the wish to enjoy the present—both are there. The album itself was made with a focus on who we are right now. It’s filled with the things we like and the thoughts we’re having at the moment. But through this process, we also want to keep growing. I feel like we’ve already learned so much from working on it. Creating the music, as well as every photo and video for the album, inspired new ideas we want to try—something different from what we’ve shown as SEVENTEEN.

With production by BUMZU, both S.Coups and you participated in creating the songs. Out of the six tracks, there’s bound to be one that feels particularly special, right?

For me, the most special song is “Young Again.” It started from the idea that “moments that have passed never come back.” Every time we go on tour, I notice that even if we perform the same setlist, no stage is ever exactly the same. There’s an atmosphere and emotion that can’t be captured in photos or videos—something you can only feel in that moment. This is what I wanted to express through the song.

Anyone listening to the chorus of “Never never be this young again” can’t help but think of their own youth. Meanwhile, the title track “5, 4, 3 (Pretty Woman) (feat. Lay Bankz)” starts with a lively guitar riff that interpolates a Roy Orbison song. The track features Lay Bankz, a rapper born in 2004. Are you hoping that this song will reach more listeners around the world? SEVENTEEN has already collaborated with artists like Pharrell Williams and DJ Khaled.

We’d love for CARATS(fans) and international listeners alike to enjoy this song, but we didn’t choose the featured artist specifically for that reason. We wanted to create music that anyone could enjoy, without language barriers. That’s why we wrote all the lyrics in English and tried to include as many intuitive, easy-to-understand expressions as possible.

During the 2019 world tour, you even captured members’ moments to make the “Snap Shoot” music video yourselves. While filming the trailer or music video this time, were there any memorable scenes or moments?

Every moment was memorable. Just like the message of ‘Young Again,’ youth doesn’t come back. The trailer and music video were filmed in LA, and the bright, clear sky left a strong impression. When you’re busy working, it’s easy to forget to even glance up at the sky for a moment. But during this shoot, every moment felt like being on vacation—fun and joyful. I think that mood naturally comes through in the photos and videos as well.

The track ‘For You’ expresses a wish to connect with people through music. When was the last time you felt that connection through your music?

On the stage of our new tour [NEW_]. Every time we perform, I feel as if we and the audience are becoming one, completely in sync. That shared energy is the greatest joy of being an artist and the force that drives us forward. After performing in Incheon (Korea) and Hong Kong, we’ll continue the tour in North America and Japan. I’m thrilled and already buzzing with excitement. We pour everything into our performances, but we also know we’ll be filled just as much by the audience’s energy in return.

Since the ‘ [NEW_]’ stage is performed by just nine members, I imagine there must have been a different kind of pressure compared to before. And now, with both CxM promotions and the tour ahead, how are you feeling?

At first, it felt a little strange to perform as nine. But while watching the members’ individual stages during the concert, I was reminded once again of how diverse each of us really is. Every member has different personalities and different things they want to pursue, and yet it’s the combination of all 13 that completes SEVENTEEN. I think that’s really amazing. Even if we’re still a work in progress, we prepared this album and tour with the mindset of constantly growing, so I hope you’ll look forward to both our unit activities and the concerts.

If Kuute and Mante came to Seoul, where would you want to take them first?

It might be fun to invite them to our practice room or studio. That way, they could see how many people work hard together to complete just one song.