Boy band Seventeen rocks UN agency with K-Pop


South Korean K-Pop boy band Seventeen performing on stage at the Unesco headquarters in Paris, France, on Nov 14, 2023. — AFP

PARIS (AFP): The UN's venerable culture agency caught the K-Pop fever late Tuesday (Wed 14) as Korean boy band Seventeen turned a conference room into a bopping dance fest.

With the stated aim of defending both the environment and education, the 13-member group sparked shouting and screaming among its mostly female audience.

"The vibe was crazy, it was very cool," said a spokesman at Unesco, not usually known for such relaxed language.

Unesco's YouTube channel clocked up 145,000 visitors during the live-streamed gig, an all-time record for the agency. Some 57,000 messages were posted live.

The 500 tickets for the concert, part of Unesco's two-day Youth Forum event, were sold out in a flash, with many fans managing to book online before the link was even officially active, the spokesman said. Many stood in line in the pouring rain for hours hoping for a spot.

Seventeen, founded in 2015, is one of K-Pop's most successful acts, having sold 15 million album copies this year alone.

The group's lyrics are neither political nor controversial, offering what the performers called "a positive message" in response to the world's problems.

LBS achieves 11-year high PATMI

"I, along with the other members of the group, would like to take this time to share with all the young people of the world the importance of nature, the value of striving for a better future, the importance of education, and our personal stories of how we have grown closer to our dreams, one step at a time," band member Seungkwan told the audience ahead of the concert.

His band mate Mingyu said that, with their first earnings, Seventeen's members had bought 13 goats which they gifted to children in Tanzania.

Band member Joshua added that the group last year had begun collecting donations to help build a school in Malawi.

Siam, a 24-year-old fan, said she had enjoyed the gig, including the band's messages that she called "impactful and engaging".

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Others Also Read


All Headlines:

Want to listen to full audio?

Unlock unlimited access to enjoy personalise features on the TheStar.com.my

Already a member? Log In