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SEVENTEEN's presence at the 2024 Glastonbury Festival proves the global power of K-pop and the festival's ability to embrace music genres from South Korea.
SEVENTEEN (II) has made history at the Glastonbury Festival. The 13-member boy group has become the first K-pop group to perform on the main Pyramid Stage.
"We are very honored to be here," they said. "Even though languages, countries and cultures are different, we can still connect as one, through music."
They opened with their big hit, "Maestro," which mixed honeyed vocals and fast rap with a disjointed piano riff and unexpected rhythm changes. This was one of their most ambitious and unexpected setlists, but it was the songs with guitar riffs and easy-to-scream English lyrics that worked best to draw in the crowd.
In this setlist, SEVENTEEN increased the audience's enthusiasm with tracks full of rap "Lalali", "2 Minus 1" with a rocky style, and the sing-a-long anthem "HOT". The setlist was even more unexpected as they performed “Ready to Love” and “SOS” was also performed.
"Have you ever heard Seventeen before," asked the leader S.Coups. "So many members, right?"
The clever stage setup allows all 13 members to shine. The group is divided into smaller "sub-units" based on their rapping, vocal, and dancing abilities, with each given a solo spot.
When the band launched "Maestro" on the first track, the space in front of the Pyramid Stage which had been empty slowly began to fill. The energetic performance and interaction with the audience made doubts and skeptical views melt away.
Maintaining tradition, “Very Nice” or “Aju Nice” is placed at the end of the performance. This song has a lot of false endings, where the energy increases every time they sing the chorus again.
After appearing, SEVENTEEN received positive reviews not only from fans but also local audiences and those unfamiliar with K-Pop. The members' energy could apparently be felt throughout the venue.
This surprise was felt by the fans who attended, such as Milia from Australia. "Seeing a K-pop band on the Pyramid Stage was something completely unexpected but absolutely brilliant," he said. “It was amazing to see Glastonbury actually showcase them. You could see from the crowd, there were a lot of people here – whether they were fans or just looking for something different. We need to see more things like this."
Similar support came from Ami, who worked at Glastonbury for 22 years. “This is the first time I've set foot near the Pyramid Stage, and I really like it,” he said. “K-pop coming to the UK is a step in the right direction.”
The dominating power of k-pop cannot be ignored: four of the top ten album sellers in the world last year came from South Korea, with SEVENTEEN joining Stray Kids, TXT and NewJeans.
With SEVENTEEN performing at Glastonbury 202 has added to the list of K-Pop artists conquering huge crowds. They follow BTS who played at Wembley Stadium in 2019 and BLACKPINK became the headliner at Coachella in 2023. SEVENTEEN's performance shows that K-pop is truly a global force that cannot be ignored.
Currently, SEVENTEEN is already in Glastonbury history thanks to their performance that broke boundaries and left an unforgettable impression on fans. It ended with words from Joshua, “Thank you so much for inviting us. We are SEVENTEEN. Please remember that.” (wk/inta)
