SELF-PRODUCING K-POP Boy Band SEVENTEEN Returning to MANILA Next Year

The general perception of South Korean popular entertainment, and one that industry is not shy of letting the world know, is that of the “talent factory.” That means near-monolithic Korean talent companies hold auditions to find prospective idols in music, TV and film. The company management then has final say on what their in-house talents can say and do in terms of projects, media appearances, private life, and so on. But there are still exceptions to that rule, such as South Korean boy band SEVENTEEN under Pledis Entertainment, a so-called “self-producing” group with some liberty in songwriting, choreography, and more. SEVENTEEN has already performed in Manila before; next year they are coming back for more.

According to ABS-CBN News, SEVENTEEN will indeed return for another concert performance in Manila, as confirmed on their official Twitter page. This concert, scheduled for early 2020, will be one stop on Asian leg of their “Ode to You” world tour. This would put their return to the country at almost two years since their first visit back in September of 2018, when they held a concert, also in Manila, that was a portion of their previous “Ideal Cut” tour.

SEVENTEEN WORLD TOUR <ODE TO YOU> ASIA PART 2 pic.twitter.com/B5ScXbkRAj

— 세븐틴(SEVENTEEN) (@pledis_17) August 27, 2019

The story of SEVENTEEN began almost as similarly as many other K-Pop idols or singing groups. In reference to how Korean entertainers spend several years being trained and developed within their talent agencies before making a formal debut, the 13 young men who would become SEVENTEEN spent two years since 2013, first starring in an online reality show called “Seventeen TV” which was carried by the Korean streaming service UStream, before finally debuting conventionally in 2015. The boy band has gotten plenty of mileage from their “self-producing” distinction, bringing their own talents and skills to the fore to create two albums (with reissue editions), a compilation, and plenty of extended plays, singles and artist collaborations.

This early into the announcement of SEVENTEEN’s Manila concert, other details have yet to be finalized, such as the ticket prices. All that is known is that they will perform at the Mall of Asia Arena on February 8, 2020.

Image courtesy of SEVENTEEN Instagram