What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than by giving in to a chucklesome binge session of GOING SEVENTEEN episodes? For CARATs worldwide, the Day of Love is but a secondary thought compared to their paramount priority – their fandom anniversary. On February 14, 2016, the thirteen-member K-pop act conducted its first encore concert, LIKE SEVENTEEN – Boys Wish, where the official fandom name, i.e. ‘CARAT’, was announced for the first time.
As we head into the seventh anniversary of this auspicious occasion, the most appropriate way to enjoy it to the fullest is by tuning into the hilarious variety series that has made us all wonder if SEVENTEEN is indeed a group of K-pop artists or mere comedians. This identity crisis has come to be intrinsically associated with the group’s overall brand. However, there may still be some audiences out there who still need to become acquainted with the South Korean band.
Today is the perfect day for you to dive headfirst into the CARAT lifestyle and start walking beside the members of the group who haven’t looked back ever since their debut in 2015. Discovering SEVENTEEN’s content is like venturing into Pandora’s box (in a good way) because one thing leads to the other. And just like that, you’re swept away by the thirteen boys’ (S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino) charm. It’s never too late to join in on the joyride, so come along and take your first trip around this chapter by taking a peek into some of the best GOING SEVENTEEN episodes.
Some of the Best GOING SEVENTEEN Episodes That Will Push You to Take Notice of the Group
MOUSEBUSTERS (2020) Episode 31-33
Members born in the Year of the Rat (1996) – Jun, Woozi, Hoshi and Wonwoo – transform into adorable eponymous creatures, while the rest of the team dons the role of ‘Mouse-busters’ out to catch them. An athletic and fatiguing chase between the two team ensues, and despite the former squad comprising 4 members, the competition weighs heavy for the latter.
With code names for the mission (all co-relating to inside jokes teased on the various episodes of the series), the second crew comes bearing water guns to attack the rats, some of whom possess their own share of secret weapons. While the chase itself is already funny enough, the final penalty session dealt out to the losing team rises as the winning highlight of the theme.
Don’t Lie II (2020) Episodes 40-41
K-pop groups and their respective editions of Mafia games may be one of the first chaotic, yet loveable takeaways from such variety shows. However, SEVENTEEN members have their own way of playing things out, almost as if they hold the patent for this game. Don’t let their MBTIs fool you, because even the introverts of the group lose all their calm. Just look at Hoshi and you’ll catch the drift.
Disorder, chaos, mayhem, madness, uproar, commotion are some words that best describe the nature of the Don’t Lie series. Although there are three additions for this title, the second one is probably the loudest of them all, and the MVP award for the same goes to none other than Hoshi aka Kwon Soon-young aka the aforementioned introvert.
Tribal Games (2021) Episode 23-24
Featuring as the Chuseok special, these two episodes see the comeback of some old-fashioned games that require teamwork. With MC Boo Seungkwan leading the charge, the games witness a smooth sailing flow. Once again divided into two teams for the session, the members commence an entertaining drive by playing games like whisper or headphone challenge, guessing relay, dumb charades and more. While the list may come across as regular, conventional activities, the members’ distinctive touch and personalities make Tribal Games a major success that’ll keep you laughing through and through.
SVTSIDE OUT II (2022) Episode 42-43
From Hoshi breaking out into an impromptu Spider performance at the bowling alley to all thirteen members delivering us with the best catalogue of memes, SVTSIDE OUT is the SEVENTEEN’s rib-tickling take on Disney’s Inside Out. With thirteen emotions figuring into the action, the members synchronise the disruptive emotional imbalance while playing endless games at the arcade. The bowling sequence is bound to leave you in splits.
Also read: Happy Carat Day: Fans Share Their Love For SEVENTEEN and Await a Special Live Video
SeungKwan Boo’s Past Life Destiny (2020) Episode 5-7
Mr Boo takes it back to 2002, fuelling the high entertainment atmosphere with a retro vibe. The games start off with the members appealing to each other with their personal dance tricks, only for them to lead into a dramatic sequence of finding their mates for the rest of the activities to follow. This itself sees them go through a series of highs and lows as lighthearted betrayals spice up the episodes, only for the audience to make the most of their comical theatrics.
Best Friends (2021) Episode 31-32
Roleplaying as bubbly high students, and an unmissable doppelgänger in the mix, this episode sees the members of the group harking back to their childhood innocence as well as channeling their inner comedian avatars. As some unveil their unhinged inner drive to win silly made up concoctions of table tennis matches (classroom version) and the course of the ‘Red Light, Green Light’ game that sees them drive a new set of protocols for the game, these episodes will leave you rolling on the floor much like Hoshi’s barefooted spider-like stunts in the end.
TTT Camping Version (2019) and (Hyperrealism Version) (2020)
Karaoke, hungover foot volleyball sessions and the lot allow the portrayal of the members as their most unfiltered selves, making the episodes seem like a short fun-filled vacation for them. The ultimate riotous havoc unfolds when they kickstart rounds of their favourite game – Mafia – after downing one too many shots during the camping edition (2019) of the series..
EGO (2021) Episode 27-28
Although this doesn’t count as one among hilarious guides of the series, the EGO branch of GOING SEVENTEEN is more of a haunted and blood-ridden puzzle left for the members to solve. Probing into the otherwise empty halls of the building, the members are isolated and compelled to confront a dark fictitious storyline that leaves them with answers and a not-so-unfamiliar nemesis they’re not strong enough to face.
SVT Playground (2019) Episode 24-25
Wonwoo’s Diary (2022) Episode 54-55
Ever wondered what illogical and unrestrained mess the group would be like if their leader was missing? Wonwoo’s Diaries document a fictional retro reality featuring aliens, senior citizens, lazy lads, a new rising singer, Jun – the UFOlogist and a martial artist preparing for the upcoming trot singing competition. The skit is an overall bombastic combination of smaller humorous accounts recorded on Wonwoo’s camcorder, which might as well be a national treasure at this point.
Kickball (2021) Episode 16-17
Happy CARAT Day!
Which GOING SEVENTEEN episode is your ultimate go to? Which of these episodes would you use as a luring bait to introduce your non-CARAT friends to the group? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
The South Korean variety web series is available for free streaming on the k-pop group’s official YouTube channel.
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