[Music Review] SEVENTEEN’s BSS: ‘TELEPARTY’
After the undeniable viral success that was “Fighting,” Seventeen sub-unit BSS (BooSeokSoon) are back—with more fun, youthful messages of encouragement, and a healthy dose of puns!
Image: PLEDIS Entertainment.
BooSeokSoon (BSS), a SEVENTEEN sub-unit formed initially as a joke, which not only went on to win multiple awards for their debut single album "SECOND WIND," but their song "Fighting" also became the cheering song for South Korea's Olympic Team. Now, they've released their second single album, "TELEPARTY," a pun on Telepathy and Election Party, with a concept that couldn't be more quintessentially BooSeokSoon.
While most K-pop groups target the younger generation, BSS has always aimed at a broader audience, regardless of age or gender. However, their latest album is specifically for individuals who feel exhausted, left behind, or those who think they've lost the years of their youth.
Wear your best pair of jeans!
The BSS "TELEPARTY" trailer movie, "What Is Youth?" perfectly encapsulates the album's concept: "Are you all enjoying your youth? Or does it feel like your youth is full of nothing but struggles? What is youth, though? Is it just being young? Do you think your youth is already over?"
The trailer later answers their own question, "Youth is, in fact, knowing how to enjoy life in the present. If you can't do that, you're not youthful, even if you're young. If you do enjoy it, that's what youth is all about. Youth is very close to us. Right here, it's inside our hearts."
Image: PLEDIS Entertainment.
This 3-song long album starts with the title track "CBZ (Prime Time)" (청바지), an acronym for "CheongBaJi," a Korean expression meaning “Youth is in the moment.” The literal translation of "CheongBaJi" is "jeans," which explains the puns involving jeans made by Seungkwan, DK, and Hoshi in the album’s promotion videos as well as them being styled in jeans for the promotion videos and music show performances.
Beyond the punny title, the song itself is exactly what you’d expect from a BSS album—it’s loud, fun, comedic at times, and most importantly, cheerful. The first verse sets the tone perfectly, addressing people tired of their never-ending to-do lists: ‘Small things set off a mouthful / Of rough words on weekdays / To-do list exploding like / Hot popcorn.’
The pre-chorus cleverly plays on the “CheongBaJi” pun with ‘Everyone go change into your CBZ,’ which can mean both changing into jeans as well as adopting a youthful mindset, embracing a carefree attitude to rediscover happiness.
So, if you’re feeling drained and weighed down by worries about the future, it’s time to ‘Have a glass spiced with the present,’ because ‘Happiness is BSS, we are CBZ!’
Images: PLEDIS Entertainment.
"Happy Alone," with its nostalgic '90s vibe, contrasts sharply with the over-the-top energy of "CBZ (Prime Time)" but carries a similar message of self-love and enjoying the present moment. Lyrics like: ‘You've done well / To me, who could only endure / I wanted to say this to the reflection in the mirror,’ and ‘Under the dusty sky / I'll embroider my own time / To make mundane moments special,’ emphasize appreciating yourself and cherishing the small, ordinary moments.
"Love Song," arguably the safest track on the album, deviates from the overarching themes of "TELEPARTY." Unlike the first two songs, which celebrate living in the moment, "Love Song" tells the story of longing for someone from your past, hoping for their return. But let’s be honest; youth isn’t complete without at least one heartbreak that forces you to whisper to the moon as if it’s your lover: ‘Are you healthy? Are you eating well? / Are you happy without me? / Can you hear my heart, like telepathy?’
After the success of BSS' first single album, "SECOND WIND," it might have seemed impossible to create something equally perfect, but BSS has proven us wrong once again.
Unfortunately, BSS member Hoshi will be enlisting for mandatory military service this year, possibly followed by Dokyeom next year and Seungkwan the year after. This means we may have to wait a few more years for the sub-unit's third album.
But till then don't forget that ‘happiness doesn't come from grades, but from BooSeokSoon!!!’
Edited by Isabel Miller.
