SEVENTEEN Turns Cities into Concert Play Parks
SEVENTEEN’s massive ‘THE CITY’ project makes its appearance in new territories after converting five Japanese cities into concert play parks
Photo: Courtesy of HYBE Japan
As part of the culmination of “SEVENTEEN ‘FOLLOW’ THE CITY” in Japan, K-pop superstar SEVENTEEN collaborated with over 30 partners to host over 70 distinct events in five of its major cities.
Initially unveiled by SEVENTEEN in 2022 as “THE CITY” project, dubbed “BE THE SUN THE CITY,” in Osaka, Tokyo, and Nagoya, it is a collection of immersive fan experiences designed to transform a city into a concert play park.
This year’s edition took things a step further, adding two extra stops (Fukuoka and Saitama) and incorporating the theme of the band‘s current tour, “FOLLOW.” 515,000 people attended the 12 gigs on the Japan leg of the tour. Tokyo Dome hosted the opening on September 6, while Fukuoka PayPay Dome hosted the closing on December 17.
This year, “THE CITY” provided experiences beyond the customary food and beverage partnerships. The act engaged with Japanese airline Star Flyer to operate a specially-wrapped plane on all domestic routes, besides buses stationed in Fukuoka that were decked with SEVENTEEN images.
The band’s Japanese single “Ima—Even if the World Ends Tomorrow” was featured in the Canal City Hakata water show, which was one of the centerpieces of Fukuoka. 20 gondolas at Osaka Wheel had photos of the band, and Nagoya’s iconic Mirai Tower glittered in SEVENTEEN’s official color, “Rose Quartz & Serenity,” every night of the concert.
It was an impressive response. An estimated 320 million people gathered in the vicinity of “THE CITY” sites. The digital stamp rally that linked the monuments in each city attracted about 78,000 participants, yielding a total of 580,000 stamps. The photo exhibits featuring behind-the-scenes images from SEVENTEEN’s concerts and fan gatherings drew almost 31,000 visitors. Over 15,000 enthusiasts delighted in the ride on Nagoya’s Sunshine Sakae Ferris wheel, adorned with SEVENTEEN images, and over tens of thousands of drinks were sold from the beverage cart that accompanied it and offered SEVENTEEN stickers.
Following Japan, it’s the first time that “THE CITY” has moved into Bangkok. “SEVENTEEN ‘FOLLOW’ THE CITY BANGKOK” debuted on December 16 and will run in Bangkok’s Siam Area for the next two months. Collectively with Siam Piwat Group in Thailand, SEVENTEEN established a fan hub in Siam Discovery to offer a comprehensive fan experience. Using their signature color scheme, the band introduced “SEVENTEEN POP-UP,” comprising exclusive photo booths, exhibits, and souvenirs, among a plethora of other attractions.
SEVENTEEN will continue their “FOLLOW” tour with shows in Bulacan on January 13 and 14, and Macao on January 20 and 21, following their performance in Bangkok.
