As SEVENTEEN prepares to bring its Follow Tour to Japan in September, the chart-topping K-pop group experienced a setback. On Thursday (Aug. 17), PLEDIS Entertainment revealed that SEVENTEEN member S.COUPS “will be unable to participate in the majority of official activities for the foreseeable future” due to a torn ACL in his left knee.
“On Aug. 10, S.COUPS sustained an injury to the left knee as he was landing while playing a ball game for a content shoot. He was immediately taken to the hospital where he underwent a comprehensive medical examination including an MRI scan. During the examination, a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was identified in the left knee,” wrote PLEDIS in a statement posted on Weverse. “The artist is receiving necessary medical treatment prior to the surgery as recommended by the medical staff, and will undergo surgery as soon as possible. We will provide another update on the progression of treatments and his rehabilitation schedule at a later time.”
SEVENTEEN was in the midst of a very packed year. In April, the group released FML, its tenth EP, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. By July, the group launched its Follow Tour in Seoul, South Korea, with a pair of shows at Gocheok Sky Dome on July 21-22. In addition to prepping for the Japanese leg of the Follow Tour this month, SEVENTEEN is also slated to release Always Yours, their second compilation album, on Aug. 23 in celebration of the five-year anniversary of their Japanese debut.
While SEVENTEEN’s busy year is far from over and S.COUPS “is highly determined to attend all of the group’s prearranged engagements,” according to PLEDIS, he will be moving at much slower pace compared to his bandmates, and “his participation will be adjusted depending on the circumstances.” “S.COUPS will be unable to participate in the majority of official activities for the foreseeable future, and will focus on his recovery through surgery and rehabilitation.”
Even in the midst of sharing the bad news, PLEDIS still sought to empathize with fans, writing, “We would like to extend our deepest apology to his fans for any distress or worry this may have caused.”
SEVENTEEN has earned three top 10 titles on the Billboard 200 from five overall entries: 2022’s SEVENTEEN 4th Album: Face The Sun (No. 7) and SEVENTEEN 4th Album Repackage: ‘Sector 17’ (No. 4) and 2023’s SEVENTEEN 10th Mini Album: FML (No. 2). The group has also scored 22 top 10 hits on World Digital Song Sales, including “Nice Very Nice” (No. 2), “Don’t Wanna Cry” (No. 3) and “Clap” (No. 4).
