SEVENTEEN’s military hiatus active members will soon become one of the biggest questions facing CARATs. As military service reshapes the group’s schedule, five members are expected to form the public-facing core for activities: Jeonghan, S.Coups, Joshua, Jun, and The8.
That does not mean SEVENTEEN is becoming a five-member group. It means a group built around the visual force, chemistry, and self-produced identity of all 13 members must find a way to stay connected with fans while much of its lineup is unavailable.
Why SEVENTEEN’s OT13 Pause Feels Different
Since debuting in 2015, SEVENTEEN has made its full lineup part of the music. Their performances are known for tightly synchronized choreography, large-scale formations, and the distinct balance between the hip-hop, vocal, and performance teams.
That scale is not an extra detail. It is central to what makes an OT13 stage feel unmistakably SEVENTEEN. A smaller unit can deliver great music and fresh combinations, but it cannot recreate the spectacle of 13 performers moving as one.
The group’s creative system also makes this transition especially meaningful. SEVENTEEN members have long participated in their music and performances, building a reputation as a self-producing act while reaching the top tier of K-pop. The group became the first K-pop act to surpass 5 million first-week album sales, a milestone that reflects how much trust fans place in the complete team.
Still, the hiatus is not a sign that the group is separating. All 13 members completed their second contract renewal with Pledis Entertainment in July 2026, reaffirming their commitment to continue together.
Which SEVENTEEN Members Will Remain Active?
The projected available lineup for the fall 2026 transition is Jeonghan, S.Coups, Joshua, Jun, and The8. Jeonghan completed alternative service in June, while leader S.Coups is exempt from military service. Joshua, Jun, and The8 are foreign members and do not have South Korean military obligations.
The timing should be viewed as a transition rather than a hard launch date for a five-member era. Dino is scheduled to hold his solo concert in Macao on October 10, and he is reported to enlist on October 26 alongside Seungkwan as part of the Army military band.
Several members are already unavailable for regular group activities. Wonwoo is serving as a social service worker, while Hoshi and Woozi are active-duty Army soldiers. Vernon began alternative service on August 20.
DK is set to enlist, and Mingyu is preparing to begin alternative service, according to the available reporting. Their exact schedules remain important details for CARATs to watch through official Pledis notices.
Five Members Cannot Replace 13, and They Do Not Need To
The real test is not whether five members can duplicate an OT13 comeback. They cannot, and SEVENTEEN’s team structure has never suggested otherwise. The question is whether the members can keep the group culturally present without diluting what makes the full lineup special.
That is where SEVENTEEN may have an advantage. Long before military service became the central issue, the group had built multiple ways to work outside full-group promotions. Its hip-hop, vocal, and performance teams created natural smaller formats, while other units and solo projects let individual members explore different styles.
This approach gives CARATs several ways to stay engaged: unit releases, solo concerts, music videos, individual appearances, and new pairings that would be harder to spotlight during an OT13 album cycle. Rather than presenting reduced-member activities as a substitute for the group, the strategy can emphasize the personalities and strengths that exist within SEVENTEEN’s larger framework.
A Pledis Entertainment official described the plan as a way for members to show “each member’s abilities and individuality more clearly through a wide range of unit and individual activities.” The official added that the goal is to broaden SEVENTEEN’s musical spectrum and offer fans new experiences, not simply fill a gap.
The Unit Strategy Is Already Taking Shape
SEVENTEEN’s military-era activity plan has visible building blocks. The8 and Vernon launched the V8 unit and released their first EP in June, making it the group’s sixth official unit. Vernon’s enlistment means the project also shows how music completed before service can extend a member’s creative presence.
Dino has also used the period before enlistment to establish a stronger solo identity. He released his first solo EP, Gilboard, under his comic alter ego Picheolin, then followed it with the music video for Like It. His solo shows in Seoul and scheduled Macao concert create a final performance runway before his reported October enlistment.
Meanwhile, Jeonghan and Joshua are set to form SEVENTEEN’s seventh unit in October. The pairing is especially notable because both members are expected to remain available during the transition, making the project a possible early signal of how the active-member core will operate.
For a group with a deep catalog of member combinations, these releases can keep the SEVENTEEN name moving while also giving fans material that does not pretend the OT13 pause is invisible.
What CARATs Should Watch During the Hiatus
The clearest next indicator will be the Jeonghan and Joshua unit’s music, concept, and promotional plans. Its arrival could show whether Pledis intends to focus on compact units, individual schedules, or a mix of both as more members begin service.
Official updates on DK, Mingyu, Seungkwan, and Dino will also shape the timeline. While a full 13-member return is widely anticipated by fans, no fixed OT13 reunion date should be treated as confirmed without an announcement from Pledis or the group.
For now, SEVENTEEN’s visibility depends on a careful balance: honoring the absence of members in service while allowing the five available members to create something distinct. If the unit and solo plan works, CARATs will not receive an imitation of OT13. They will see a different side of the system SEVENTEEN built together.