Seventeenth Heaven

''Seventeenth Heaven'' is the twelfth Korean extended play (EP) and by South Korean boy band Seventeen. It was released on October 23, 2023, by Pledis Entertainment through YG Plus, five months following the release of '' FML'' (2023). Produced by Woozi and Bumzu, the eight-track EP is a primarily upbeat record, serving as a celebration of the band's career thus far. It is led by the single " God of Music", and includes a collaboration with the American producer Marshmello titled "SOS".

Commercially, the EP became the most pre-ordered release in South Korean history, with 5.20 million pre-orders.

Background

On April 24, 2023, Seventeen released their tenth EP, '' FML'', which became the second most pre-ordered release in South Korean history prior to its release. Due to their busy schedules, the band began preparations for their next mini album, ''Seventeenth Heaven'', while promoting ''FML.''

Amid promotions for ''FML'', member Seungkwan went on hiatus, though he resumed activities in time for their next release. In support of the EP, the band continued on their Follow Tour, starting the Japanese leg at the Tokyo Dome on September 8.

Music and lyrics

''Seventeenth Heaven'' comprises eight tracks and has a runtime of 26 minutes and 45 seconds. Woozi and Bumzu spearheaded the production of the EP, while members S.Coups, Mingyu, Vernon, Wonwoo and Hoshi participated in writing the tracks for the release. American DJ and producer Marshmello served as a producer to the opening track "SOS".

Contrasting with its predecessor ''FML'', the EP expresses an unabashed, joyous celebration of the band's career. Several songs in the release have been described by ''Billboard'' as having an "upbeat production".

Songs

The EP opens with the English-language track "SOS", which exhibits "hints of rock" and Jersey club influences. The upbeat soul funk track, "God of Music", serves as the release's lead single, which has been described as being "colorful sounding". "Diamond Days" samples "Shining Diamond" from their debut EP ''17 Carat'' (2015). As is with previous releases, the EP features three "unit" songs. "Back 2 Back" is an EDM track performed by the group's performance unit laced with a retro, video game theme. "Monster" is performed by the group's hip-hop unit. The piano-led ballad "Yawn" is performed by the group's vocal unit. The EP closes with the track "Headliner", which serves as a song of gratitude to the band's following.

Release and promotion

The group announced the release on their social media on September 18, 2023, and made it available for preorder two days later. An accompanying teaser clip shows a red festival wristband with the album title and release date. On October 16, Seventeen revealed the tracklist for the record. However, on October 19, Pledis Entertainment announced that leader S.Coups would refrain from participating in the promotions for the EP, focusing on his recovery following a knee injury; as a result, his appearance in the "God of Music" music video was filmed separately from the other members.

In the run-up to the EP's release, Seventeen organized pop-up street events throughout South Korea. For the events, the band collaborated with local restaurants and installed "art walls" with works inspired by the band. The group also released a series of trailers titled "SVT Right Here" featuring footage of Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, New York City, and Beijing shrouded in balloons resembling chamomile flowers, hinting the centers of promotion for the album. However, a teaser for the album depicting the Great Wall of China drew flak from Chinese audiences, citing cultural insensitivity, resulting in its removal and an apology from the agency.

Title and artwork

The EP's title is derived from the English term "seventh heaven," which is defined as "the state of extreme joy". The physical version of the EP was released in three different variants: the AM 5:26 version depicts the start of an imaginative festival at dawn; the PM 2:14 version sees the festival in full swing; and the PM 10:23 version presents the festival finale. Each version constitutes a unique design and includes posters, lyric books and picture cards.

Follow Tour

In promotion of the album, the group added shows to their Follow Tour, with shows to be staged in Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, and Macao, extending the tour's run to January 2024.

Critical reception

In a mixed review, ''NME'' critic Abby Webster noted that while the EP had the potential to match their previous works, the vocal processing set a "firm ceiling for the mini-album's greatness". However, Webster complimented the EP for continuing "to flex their consistency and creativity as a collective". Maria Sherman from ''The Associated Press'' praised the album for involving Seventeen members in its composition and lyrics, describing it as "a release that feels remarkably true to them: a celebration of their success, and the motivation to push harder in the future".

Accolades

Commercial performance

By October 12, ''Seventeenth Heaven'' had amassed 4.67 million stock pre-orders, surpassing the record of 4.64 million pre-orders with their previous album '' FML''. It became the most pre-ordered release in history, with 5.20 million pre-orders, breaking the record of 5.13 million set in May 2023 by Stray Kids' ''5-Star''. Because of that it is currently the album with the highest first week sales in the world.

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)'s Global Music Report for 2023, ''Seventeenth Heaven'' was the fourth most-consumed album across all formats, and the eighth best-selling album worldwide, having sold 4.5 million units.

Track listing

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Year-end charts

Sales and certifications

Release history

See also

* List of best-selling albums in South Korea

Notes

References

{{MAMA Award for Album of the Year

2023 EPs
Pledis Entertainment EPs
Korean-language EPs
2020s Korean-language albums
Seventeen (South Korean band) EPs