I saw the K-pop mega band Seventeen live 5 times in 7 months — and one stop was the best

I watched Seventeen start and end their tour in South Korea

September 13 was the start of my journey with Seventeen's "NEW" tour. Over two days at Incheon's Asiad stadium, the nine active members of the group unveiled their new set list, complete with songs out of the band's song archive, like "Hit" and "Rock With You."

This was also the first time fans heard the group's solo songs live. There was lots of variety, from sweet ballads like Joshua Hong's "Fortunate Change" to leader S.Coups' head-banging hip-hop number "Jungle."

The team's usually in great form, but on a whole other level on home ground

The encore concert in April saw some special performances from Seventeen's units: CxM (the rapper-duo, formed by leader S.Coups and the team's resident Calvin Klein face, Mingyu), and the team's ballad unit, DK and Seungkwan.

Their energy levels were through the roof during a particularly punishing part of the setlist, including high-octane songs like "Hit," "Hot," "Highlight," and "Rock." The group rolled out "Super," one of their most popular tracks by far, and got fans in their feels when the lyrics "I love my team, I love my crew" were splashed across the mega screens.

I especially enjoyed that they rolled out some sentimental songs like "Circles" and "To You," as well as the very fitting "April Shower." I enjoyed the (literal) downpour less as I slogged out of the stadium.

Japan's stops had special songs on the set list

Seventeen performed in four Japanese cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka. It's harder to get tickets for concerts in Japan than it is to win the Ticketmaster Hunger Games, because it comes down to luck in a ticket lottery system open only to locals. I snagged a seat alongside a friend who'd bought tickets to the Fukuoka shows.

Japan's merchandise for the shows was top-tier, as was the citywide "Carat Bunkasai" festival that Fukuoka hosted in conjunction with the concert. The Japan shows were also a treat because of the setlist — the band played some of their Japanese tracks, like "Hitorijanai" and "Power of Love," which they don't do elsewhere.

And there's nothing quite like seeing my favorite band in my city, Singapore.

After the chilly winter concerts in Japan, I saw Seventeen in a very different place: sweltering Singapore, my hometown. That was where the group kicked off the Southeast Asia leg of their tour. Even in 90-degree weather, the band rallied, hitting every beat on their intense choreography.

But Seoul's encore concert — one of the last times we'll see some of them before they enlist — just hit different.

Maybe it's the comfort that comes with speaking in Korean — the first language for most of the band. Or maybe the band knew they were at the end of what might be their last tour for a couple of years, as some members are due to report for South Korea's mandatory military service soon. They were candid about their desire to keep performing together well into their thirties — and gave plenty of emotional moments during the concert's last two nights.

The last night of the South Korea encore stop also saw the group standing arm in arm, watching the fireworks. Then they took a bow, one that I could barely see through my tears.

"We kept our promise that all 13 will stay together," S.Coups said, before curtain call. "This has been Seventeen!"

The longevity of bands like Seventeen shows just how sustainable the K-pop business can be

Watching the band live in three cities cemented why Seventeen is one of the K-pop mega-company Hybe's highest-earning groups.

The group's 2023 album, "FML," still holds the record for first-day sales for a K-pop album, with more than 6.4 million copies sold.

Even at nine active members, the "NEW_" tour rolled through 14 cities, going from stadiums across Asia and four US cities. Over 31 shows, the band played to close to a million fans, in person and watching online.

In their 11 years since debut, Seventeen hasn't lost a member in its 13-person lineup. For a third-generation group — a term applied to bands that debuted between 2012 and 2019 — that's rare, as bands often bleed members and fade into obscurity.

Goodbye for now, Seventeen

It'll be a while before I next see Seventeen on tour. Its leader, S.Coups, has vowed that they'll return as a 13-member set, but that might take years.

Still, there's plenty to look forward to, between individual members' globetrotting and fan meetings.

See you soon, Seventeen.