Opinionated Profile of Seventeen

 

I didn’t mean or intend to become a fan of Seventeen, but as I’m writing this they are quite clearly my favorite rookies of 2015. This has not been a good rookie year for me so far, so Seventeen have not had much competition. That’ll change once iKON and Twice show their faces though, of course. 

But so far, Seventeen have been the only rookie group I’ve taken the time to learn the members of and that’s not such a shabby achievement. I’m not fond of the idea of becoming a noona fan, and at 18 I really don’t think it’s my time. So the general age and cute young-looking image of these boys put me off them quite immediately. But with some gentle persuasion from friends and tumblr, I gave them another shot. And they’ve really grown on me! In the start I only liked their debut song, but now both “Shining Diamond” and the performance unit’s “Jam Jam” have become songs I strongly enjoy. And their cover of After School’s “Bang!” is off the charts. If you haven’t heard it yet, you really should. Jungah was proud, and I almost think it’s better than the original.

Before I get ranking I’ll have to say that large groups are really hard to rank, especially if you don’t know them perfectly well. So loads of the positions, especially the lower ones, are really close together, and will probably change with my next encounter with them. I tried though. I mean, after all this time I still struggle when ranking EXO. So this wasn’t easy.

(If you want to read about how I perceived them right when I first learned their names you can do that here by the way. Just letting you know.)

13. Joshua

 

Birth name: Hong Ji Soo/Joshua Hong

Stage name: Joshua

Birthday: December 30, 1995

Official height: 176 cm

Position: Main Vocalist

Unit: Vocal Unit

Comment: Joshua is really pretty and seems really sweet and all that jist. Plus I love that he plays the guitar. But to me so far, he hasn’t been very noticeable. He’s part of the vocal unit and listed as a main vocalist, but he gets very few lines. He seems to be a good singer though, so I don’t understand why he isn’t being utilized. I’m sure he has a lot more to give, but I just haven’t seen it yet.

I’ve heard that he’s deeply religious but despite my personal stance on religion that won’t be a problem unless he makes it one. (Looking at you, Siwon)

12. Woozi

Birth name: Lee Ji Hoon

Stage name: Woozi

Birthday: November 22, 1996

Official height: 165 cm

Position: Main Vocalist, Main Dancer, Leader of Vocal Unit

Unit: Vocal Unit

Comment: Alice, I know you might be mad that I put your bias this far down on the list, but just think of it as there being no chance for me to try and steal him, okay?

Woozi is a very cute grown man, with his height, pink hair and general looks all factoring into that.

I absolutely don’t dislike Woozi, and he has made an impression on me. He’s the main producer and writer of Seventeen’s music, and seems to be very musically talented. I’d also place him about third when it comes to my favorite vocalists in the group. But he hasn’t made me love him, not yet at least, and that’s why I’m right now ranking him twelfth.

Everyone’s been saying that he looks like a cute younger brother of BTS’ Suga, and I’d have to agree. They definitely look like they could be related, especially in such similar hairstyles.

11. The8

Birth name: Xu Ming Hao

Stage name: The8

Birthday: November 7, 1997

Official height: 175 cm

Position: Vocalist, Dancer

Unit: Performance Unit

Comment: Even though The8 is one of the weakest singers and not someone who talks a whole lot (and the member with the by far stupidest name), there is still something about him that I’m really digging. Maybe it’s the simple fact that he isn’t so secure with speaking and understanding Korean that gives me major throwbacks to EXO-M? That might very well be it, but whatever it is, The8 is crawling into my heart.

10. Wonwoo

Birth name: Jeon Won Woo

Stage name: Wonwoo

Birthday: July 17, 1996

Official height: 180 cm

Position: Main Rapper

Unit: Hip-Hop Unit

Comment: I like Wonwoo. He might have an adorable-sounding name, but his general aura is not at all as cute as the majority of his group members’. He has a quite manly face, and definitely looks like his age, which can’t be said for all the rest of them.

I like his rapping, mostly because I’m really fond of male rappers with more deep-pitched voices. It’s right up my alley.

I  can’t really explain what it is about him… I didn’t really notice him at all in the beginning, but the more I see of him the more he grows on me. He’s a definite climber on this list.

9. Mingyu

Birth name: Kim Min Gyu

Stage name: Mingyu

Birthday: April 6, 1997

Official height: 185 cm

Position: Main Rapper, Face of the Group

Unit: Hip-Hop Unit

Comment: The more I see of Mingyu, the more gorgeous he seems to me. He doesn’t really have a stereotypical male visual face, but something about him just sparkles. Personally I see him as the weakest rapper in the hip-hop unit, and I might not even see him as fourth-best, but he’s so pretty that nobody cares.

8. Seungkwan

Birth name: Boo Seung Kwan

Stage name: Seungkwan

Birthday: January 16, 1998

Official height: 172 cm

Position: Main Vocalist

Unit: Vocal Unit

Comment: I didn’t notice Seungkwan much at all in the beginning, but he’s grown on me very rapidly during the last… well today. He has a certain sass to his personality and he doesn’t seem so awkward about speaking in interviews, which means he’s easier to connect with. And he’s an excellent singer, definitely one of the best ones in the group. I’m not sure who my favorite vocalist is just yet, but Seungkwan is either first or second.

7. Hoshi

Birth name: Kwon Soon Young

Stage name: Hoshi

Birthday: June 15, 1996

Official height: 178 cm

Position: Lead Vocalist, Main Dancer, Leader of Performance Unit

Unit: Performance Unit

Comment: Hoshi’s been impressing me. I don’t find him that extremely attractive physically, as he’s a bit too cute for my taste, but his talent is really making him stand out.

He choreographs for the group, which is really cool, and is the given leader of the performance unit. He seems to be the best dancer and he has a really good stage presence, regardless of the style of performance. Also, besides the five members of the vocal unit, I’d definitely say that Hoshi is the best singer. He’s stable.

6. S.Coups

Birth name: Lee Seung Cheol

Stage name: S.Coups

Birthday: August 8, 1995

Official height: 177 cm

Position: Main Rapper, Leader of both Hip-Hop Unit and whole group

Unit: Hip-Hop Unit

Comment: S.Coups is funny, he’s the second-best or the best rapper in the group, he seems like a good and respectable leader and I’ve even started to find him attractive, which I didn’t used to. S.Coups seems to be a very solid member of the group who does everything he should, and does it right. But there is one major problem… His name. The only way I’ve heard it being explained is that they wanted an appealing name that would suit his rapper status. And let me tell you, this was not the way to go. It means nothing and it annoys me. But I do like the boy regardless!

5. DK

Birth name: Lee Seok Min

Stage name: DK

Birthday: February 18, 1997

Official height: 178 cm

Position: Main Vocalist

Unit: Vocal Unit

Comment: I love the way DK smiles. His entire face opens up, while his eyes disappear, and he looks like joy personified. It may not be the most picture-perfect smile, but it’s beautiful.

To me DK is the person that could rival Seungkwan for the title of my favorite vocalist in the group. I really like the tone of his voice.

DK has a super well-structured face and proportions that make him look taller than he is. He also seems to have a very bright and likable personality.

4. Dino

Birth name: Lee Chan

Stage name: Dino

Birthday: February 11, 1999

Official height: 167 cm

Position: Main Dancer, Lead Rapper, Maknae

Unit: Performance Unit

Comment: Dino is one of the most attractive members in the group to me (with the correct styling), and it bothers me that I think that because he is just way too young for me. The kid is sixteen for fuck’s sake! That’s too young and I could never bias him. He can reapply when he stops being jailbait.

I personally think that Dino might be a better rapper than Mingyu… It’s not clear-cut, but I seem to prefer his rap parts over Mingyu’s. I also love his stage chemistry with Vernon, so when they get to bounce lines back and forth between each other I adore it.

3. Jeonghan

Birth name: Yoon Jeong Han

Stage name: Jeonghan

Birthday: October 4, 1995

Official height: 175 cm

Position: Main Vocalist

Unit: Vocal Unit

Comment: When I first saw the video for “Adore U” Jeonghan was the member that distinctly stuck out to me. I have a huge weak spot for guys with long hair, and I figured that if I did end up stanning the group, he would probably be my bias. It didn’t turn out quite that way, but he was very close.

Jeonghan is a great singer but I find his voice a little unmemorable. I’d probably place him as my fourth-favorite vocalist in the group.

Jeonghan is so beautiful, especially when he doesn’t tie his hair up. He literally looks like an angel, and when DK sings the angel line in their debut track I always think of it as him singing to Jeonghan. Which is strange because I haven’t seen anything about them being shipped together. And I most certainly won’t start.

2. Vernon

Birth name: Choi Han Sol/Hansol Vernon Chwe

Stage name: Vernon

Birthday: February 18, 1998

Official height: 176 cm

Position: Lead Rapper, Main Dancer

Unit: Hip-Hop Unit

Comment: I find it strange that Vernon is only a lead rapper while Mingyu and Wonwoo are both mains, since Vernon is way more heavily featured than they are.

One of the absolute main reasons why I decided to give Seventeen another shot was Vernon. Or specifically, Vernon’s face. He’s a really beautiful kid. I really can’t bias him though, since he puts me securely in noona territory, even if we disregard my status as an early 97-liner. Being a 97-liner is enough. And that is, well, not okay. I’m not old enough for this!

I think it’s a bit of a toss-up between S.Coups and Vernon for the title of the better rapper, but I’d say that I prefer Vernon. He had no chance on SMTM though, and even though I respect his reasoning for coming, I’m still not sure if it was a wise move.

1. Jun

Birth name: Wen Jun Hui

Stage name: Jun

Birthday: June 10, 1996

Official height: 180 cm

Position: Vocalist, Dancer

Unit: Performance Unit

Comment: It doesn’t matter that he has next to no lines or that he doesn’t seem to talk much in interviews; I couldn’t give up on my chance to have the perfect bias. Heechul and I would have been perfect together (You know it, Leo!) but since I can’t have him, I will have the baby version of him. Who might have even more refined features. And Heechul has improved his singing loads since debut and can now carry whole songs by himself. In a few years, that will be Jun for sure. He’s stunning and flawless and mine! Mine! Plus he doesn’t make me a noona, so that’s always nice.

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I figured it out! I remember how confused I was when I wrote about them last time, but I did it! I’m glad to have this settled. I’ll be happy with my baby Heechul. If he plays his cards right I might even call him by his own name some day.