Seventeen is utilizing their military hiatus as a new growth engine to celebrate their 10th anniversary since debut. Following Jeonghan and Wonwoo, Hoshi and Woozi enlisted in the military, marking the beginning of Seventeen's full-scale military hiatus. However, Seventeen is minimizing the gap by leveraging their structural strength as a "13-member large group."

Instead of shortening the military service period by enlisting members simultaneously like some boy groups, Seventeen adopted a strategy of staggering members' enlistments over time. This secures the continuity of the team's activities. Utilizing the characteristics of a large group, they actively carry out individual and unit activities, continuously maintaining the group's presence.

Since their debut, Seventeen has honed their skills through various unit concepts such as hip-hop, vocals, and performance. The units BSS (Seungkwan, DK, Hoshi), Jeonghan x Wonwoo, and Hoshi x Woozi each create Seventeen's unique musical narrative. Hoshi x Woozi sparked a challenge craze with their single "BEAM" released last March and the Mnet "World of Street Woman Fighter" mission song "ECHO!" in June.

BSS gained public popularity by releasing hit songs like "Fighting" with a bright and cheerful concept. Jeonghan x Wonwoo released their first single album "THIS MAN" last June, selling over 780,000 copies and breaking the record for the highest first-week sales of a K-pop unit album.

Seventeen is attempting another variation through their fourth unit, S.Coups x Mingyu. They are scheduled to release their first mini-album "Hype Vibes" on the 29th. This album captures a hot and free mood, with both members participating in the lyrics and composition of all tracks, including the title song, enhancing its completeness. A challenge video for the title track "5, 4, 3 (Pretty Woman) (feat. Lay Bankz)" has also been released, raising fans' expectations.

Group activities are also proceeding smoothly. At the "Seventeen World Tour 'NEW_'" concerts held on the 13th and 14th at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium, nine members took the stage and met approximately 54,000 spectators. Despite some members serving in the military, they delivered stable performances, creating a stage comparable to a full lineup.

Seventeen will perform on the 27th and 28th at Kai Tak Stadium, the largest venue in Hong Kong, continuing their world tour schedule that includes five cities in North America and four major domes in Japan. They are recognized as representatives of the third generation of K-pop groups alongside BTS and BLACKPINK.

Seventeen continues their global status through unwavering activity during their military hiatus and diverse unit activities. A music industry official said, "Seventeen is effectively managing the risk of the military hiatus with various strategies that fill the gaps in group activities despite individual members' absences. Since each unit has a distinct musical color, the overall vitality of the team can be maintained in the long term."

Seventeen is turning their military hiatus into an opportunity, laying the foundation for a new leap forward. They are expected to further strengthen their position in the K-pop scene by expanding their connection with fans in the future.