SEVENTEEN Stuns on U.S. Late Night
Affectionately referred to as the “theater kids of K-Pop” by their fans, SEVENTEEN made their U.S. television debut with a Broadway-themed gig on The Late Late Show with James Corden.
While the group has had smaller spots on local channels, the appearance on Corden marks the first time they have appeared on U.S. national television, and to say it came as a surprise to fans would be an understatement. Typically, groups only promote overseas after a comeback, but SEVENTEEN chose to perform their track “HOME;RUN” off of October’s ; [Semicolon], a whole four months after its release.
Adopting a behind-the-scenes feel, the performance starts out with the members donning Late Late Show staff apparel as they prepare the set under the direction of leader S.Coups. The plain t-shirts and cleaning supplies are a stark contrast to the usual glitz and glamour of K-Pop productions, but this is all forgotten once the members break into dance headed by performance leader Hoshi. The camera then follows them backstage, with Jeonghan emerging in a glittery tailored suit, until one by one the members reappear, clearly ready to take the stage. Main vocalist Seungkwan ushers in the explosive finale which, with ample live vocals and extraordinary choreography, feels akin to the caliber of Korean year-end award shows but with exponentially better camerawork. As dazzling and invigorating as the performance is, the most refreshing bit might be the group’s signature ending ad libs—this time, personalized for The Late Late Show, of course—that show they’re not afraid to be their humbly playful selves, even on foreign television.
In a recent NAVER article, it was revealed that the group’s appearance was made at the request of the show. Though, regrettably, the performance could not happen in person due to the pandemic, the circumstances allowed for a larger-scale production that suited SEVENTEEN’s equally larger-than-life presence perfectly. Whereas The Late Late Show stage can be a little claustrophobic for dancing K-Pop groups—let alone one made up of 13 members—the virtual performance allowed for a more immersive production, teeming with plot and charisma befitting of the Broadway-themed “HOME;RUN.”
The members of SEVENTEEN have stated more is to come, along with news outlets reporting that the group will have more U.S. television guest spots in upcoming months. They are already set to perform on The Kelly Clarkson Show on January 13 in addition to their recently announced online concert for January 23.
Check out the performance of “HOME;RUN” below.