SEVENTEEN members Mingyu and S.Coups recently hosted a private listening party for their brand-new unit CXM, and it turned out to be one of the most talked-about nights in K-pop. The duo dropped their debut mini-album HYPE VIBES on September 29 at 6 PM KST and invited some of their closest friends from the industry to celebrate with them. While details like the venue and timing were kept under wraps, glimpses from the event showed a cheerful night full of laughter, music, and friendship — including a surprise appearance by BTS’ Jungkook.
Photos shared by Mingyu revealed him posing with Jungkook, showing off their long-time bond as part of the popular “97-liners” friend group. The close-knit circle includes ASTRO’s Cha Eun Woo, GOT7’s Yugyeom and BamBam, NCT’s Jaehyun, SEVENTEEN’s DK and The8, and Stray Kids’ Bang Chan. Even WOODZ, though born in 1996, often joins their hangouts. Also spotted in the pictures were SEVENTEEN’s Joshua, producer Bumzu, and Wonwoo, who is currently serving his alternative military duty as a public worker.
Interestingly, the event happened on the same day GOT7’s Yugyeom enlisted for his mandatory military service. With him joining fellow members who have already enlisted, only Youngjae remains, and the group is expected to reunite in a few years. It’s not confirmed if the 97-liners met before Yugyeom’s enlistment, but fans remember how Jungkook flew back from Los Angeles earlier this year to have dinner with Cha Eun Woo before his own military send-off in July.
As for the new CXM release, HYPE VIBES delivers exactly what its name promises — a burst of fresh, energetic music. The mini-album features six tracks, including Fiesta, Worth It, For You, Young Again, Earth, and the funky title song 5, 4, 3 (Pretty Woman) featuring American artist Lay Bankz. The lead single takes a disco-inspired route, marking a new direction for both S.Coups and Mingyu, who originally belonged to SEVENTEEN’s hip-hop team alongside Vernon and Wonwoo.
From the glowing fan reactions to the high-profile guest list, CXM’s debut celebration has set the perfect tone for this exciting new chapter in SEVENTEEN’s legacy.