🔗 Source from GQ Taiwan
— 10 years have turned a boy’s innocence into a man’s resolve, and youthful passion into legend. In 2025, SEVENTEEN marks their 10th anniversary—a milestone built from countless stages, sweat, and laughter. At the heart of it all is a voice that lights up the stage: DK, SEVENTEEN’s main vocal.
— SEVENTEEN’S DK. Embracing Change, and not Forgetting His Starting Point.
From being the performer to hype up his sub-unit BSS into hotter stages, to singing resonant melodies in covers and original soundtracks (OSTs), DK is SEVENTEEN’s main vocal, whose vocals transcend passion and depth, surprising people and calmly supporting the emotions of the songs at times. His warm and deep voice is like the apparent watermark of SEVENTEEN’s songs. From concert halls with millions of people, to solo stages when he holds only one mic, his presence sparks emotional fireworks. Wherever DK may be, it can be a day of festivities, or it could be a solace for the heart.
DK（도겸）｜Birth name Lee Seokmin. Main Vocal of boy group SEVENTEEN, and also the leader of sub-unit BSS. With his empathetical vocals as strength, he also starred in the Korean Musical and played the lead role King Arthur, being one of the youngest Arthurs amongst past renditions.
DK’s birth name is Lee Seokmin. His stage name is Dokyeom, carrying the meaning “to take on various paths and to become a multitalented artist”. By accepting inclusivity and transformation, he has a quiet promise to face challenges with warmth, and carve his own path. With the passing of time, this name entails a romantic manifesto— to embrace contradictions and possibilities, to weave each step into unique melodies.
These years, SEVENTEEN has garnered indefinite recognition from the music industry and in the world— from staging their 10th anniversary performance in the symbolic Jamsu Bridge which attracted thousands of fans in witness, winning MAMA’s Album of the Year, becoming the first K-pop group to perform on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, and serving as UNESCO Youth Goodwill Ambassadors by demonstrating acts of love and service. Every achievement of this boy group is carved into the history of K-POP, proving to others their strengths and attitudes.
"I never thought that I would receive so much love." Looking back at these 10 years, he first thanks fans. On screen, he is the Happy Virus of fans, always creating a light atmosphere with his bright smile; behind the scenes, DK challenges new possibilities in silence. Recently he was preparing for his drum performance for the concert. Even though this was more difficult than he expected, he practiced continuously after each rehearsal until calluses grew on his hands.
To DK, growth is not a sight seen overnight, but rather how his mentality was gradually honed and how it matured. He admits that ever since debuting in the team, his greatest growth lies in becoming steadier and braver — that he could take on various challenges courageously, endure the expectations and pressures from others, and find the unwavering faith amongst members and fans.
Together with his SEVENTEEN members, they experienced the trials and tribulations of the decade, becoming a new self and today, DK carries both the composure of a man and the sincerity of a boy, embodying his name.
If we have to add a footnote to DK’s multiple charms, Happy Virus is the best word for it. That is his nickname he created early on in the debut days because he loves to smile. When he smiles, his neat and white teeth shine, his eyes curve into cute parabolas, as if happiness overflows from him.
This smile is best seen in SEVENTEEN’s group variety show “GOING SEVETNTEEN”. This show was originally produced to record the members’ moments in daily life, but this later evolved into a variety show with games, challenges and even fake documentaries.
Unlike usual variety shows, this show is like the playground created by the members. To SEVENTEEN, being funny is not “a mission”, but a sincere urge. Many funny clips or inside-jokes spread virally on social media are more than “variety show effects”, but rather their true indulgence to make each other laugh, to make the audience laugh, and to deliver the simple essence of joy.