Happy Burstday is the fifth studio album by South Korean boy band Seventeen. It was released on May 26, 2025, by Pledis Entertainment through YG Plus, and celebrates their tenth anniversary as a band by entering a new chapter, marked as an "explosive rebirth".
The album includes sixteen songs, including its lead single, "Thunder", and a solo song from each of the members of Seventeen. Among the songs are collaborations with American record producers Pharrell Williams and Timbaland.
Background and release
The album title was announced in a video with "Happy Burstday" written on a cake
Pledis Entertainment first revealed plans to release a studio album in celebration of Seventeen's tenth anniversary on March 24, 2025, with contributions from all 13 members, even those fulfilling their military enlistments.[1] On April 21, the group announced their fifth studio album and their first album release since Face the Sun (2022). The announcement clip showed a floating envelope with information revealed on the back of the envelope[2] and later panned to a birthday cake with candles spelling out "Happy Burstday".[3] During the clip, an upcoming tour to promote the album was also teased, alongside the debut of a new sub-unit.[4]
The release celebrates the 10th anniversary of the band, after their debut on May 26, 2015, and their first EP 17 Carat on May 29.[5]Happy Burstday as the album title reflects the anniversary, symbolizing a "milestone" as well as a "renaissance" for the group. "Burst" was said to express the "explosive rebirth", being unafraid to hail in a new chapter.[2] It sees the group leaping into a new era, one that "embraces reinvention, fearlessness, and evolution".[6]
A teaser video was released on April 28 titled "Dare or Death", with the viewer able to select between the two options.[7] Three further concept videos were released, with themes of disappearance, transformation and rebirth.[8] The track list for the album was released on May 13,[9] and a highlight medley of the songs was released on May 16.[10]
Promotion
To promote the album, Pledis held a listening party from May 17 to 21, allowing fans to preview the songs.[11] On May 25, the group performed an hour-long set at Jamsu Bridge in Seoul, as the culmination of a three day "B-Day Party".[12] A website was launched on May 12 detailing the activities involved in the event, including a stamp rally, merchandise and photo booths, among others.[13][14] The group also released a two-part special episode of Going Seventeen, with the first part released on May 21 and the second released on May 28.[15]
The group also announced a collaboration with Airbnb, with 60 fans selected through a lucky draw to participate in an event with the members.[16]
Clash's Isadora Wandermurem praised Happy Burstday for its strong production and willingness to explore each identity of Seventeen's thirteen-member group; however, it also criticized its execution of the latter, noting the album's overall lack of cohesion.[17] In a mixed three-star review for NME, Gladys Yeo likewise stated: "The record’s focus on solo songs exposes each member’s strengths and weaknesses when they stand alone, but its group tracks are a self-assured testament to their chemistry and magnetism as a whole."[18]
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