Seventeen's global dominance shines in 2024

Group nears 10 mil. album sales, draws over 1.5 mil. concertgoers

By Pyo Kyung-min

Thirteen-member boy band Seventeen solidified its place as a K-pop juggernaut in 2024, closing in on 10 million album sales while performing in front of more than 1.5 million fans during their concerts across the globe. With record-breaking releases, sold-out tours and global accolades, the group cemented its reputation as one of the industry's most influential acts.

Pledis Entertainment, Seventeen's agency, announced Sunday that the group sold 9.76 million albums from January to November 2024, according to Circle Chart, a local K-pop music tracker. The milestone brings the 13-member act close to surpassing the 10 million album sales mark for two years in a row.

The group released three major works this year, including the compilation album "17 IS RIGHT HERE" in April, sub-unit Jeonghan x Wonwoo's single album "THIS MAN" in June and the 12th mini-album "SPILL THE FEELS" in October.

The April release "17 IS RIGHT HERE" set a new benchmark for K-pop compilation albums, selling 3 million copies within just 10 days of its release and achieving the highest first-week sales in the genre. The June unit album, "THIS MAN," also broke records for the most first-week sales of any K-pop unit album to date.

The group's mini-album "SPILL THE FEELS" became the only K-pop release in 2024 to sell over 3 million copies in its first week. By November, it had sold nearly 4 million copies, making it the bestselling K-pop album of the year.

Seventeen's dominance extended beyond album sales, with massive concert attendance underscoring its global appeal.

The group began the year with "SEVENTEEN TOUR 'FOLLOW' TO ASIA" in January, followed by "SEVENTEEN TOUR 'FOLLOW' AGAIN" from March to May, "SVT 8TH FAN MEETING 'SEVENTEEN in CARAT LAND'" in July and the ongoing "SEVENTEEN 'RIGHT HERE' WORLD TOUR" from October to December.

The group drew more than 1.1 million offline attendees across 36 performances held this year, with the number expected to surpass 1.5 million including livestreaming audiences. Additional online streaming events for the group's upcoming Japan Dome Tour finale at Mizuho PayPay Dome in Fukuoka on Dec. 21 and 22 are likely to boost these numbers even further.

Seventeen also pushed boundaries on the international stage, as the group became the first K-pop artist to perform on the main stage of the Glastonbury Festival in England, in June. In September, they headlined Germany's Lollapalooza Berlin, captivating European fans.

The group's global influence reached new heights in 2024, winning Best Group at the MTV Video Music Awards and Top K-pop Touring Artist at the Billboard Music Awards, two of America's biggest music events.

Seventeen also reached a new milestone in June by becoming UNESCO's first-ever Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, underscoring the group's dedication to social impact. The appointment followed its historic address at UNESCO's 13th Youth Forum back in November 2023 and the boy band vowed to donate $1 million to UNESCO's Global Youth Grant Scheme.

As Seventeen approaches its 10-year anniversary in 2025, the group is gearing up for a series of high-profile events.

From January to February, the group will host "SEVENTEEN 'RIGHT HERE' WORLD TOUR IN ASIA" at major stadiums across the continent. In April, the group will become the first K-pop act to perform at Mexico's largest music festival, Tecate Pa'l Norte 2025, expanding its presence in Latin America.