S.Coups
Choi Seung-cheol, known professionally by his stage name S.Coups, is a South Korean rapper, singer, and songwriter. Managed by Pledis Entertainment, he is the leader of the South Korean boy band Seventeen and its hip hop team, and in 2025 debuted in a sub-unit with Mingyu as CxM.
Early life
Choi Seung-cheol was born in Daegu, South Korea, on 8 August 1995. He attended School of Performing Arts Seoul and then enrolled in Hanyang University. In 2022, he enrolled in a Master's degree at Anyang University.Career
2009–2014: Pre-debut
Choi joined Pledis Entertainment in 2009, where he received training for the next 6 years. In 2013, he joined for the second season of Seventeen TV, an online reality show that introduced Pledis' trainees and showed potential members of the boy group Seventeen before their official debut. The show was broadcast periodically on Ustream, where the trainees showed themselves training, singing, creating choreographies and playing games. The online show also included participation in concerts, titled Like Seventeen.As a trainee, he participated in works of other Pledis artists, including featuring on Orange Caramel's debut album and appearing in NU'EST, Hello Venus, and After School music videos.
2015–present: Seventeen and solo activities
In 2015, S.Coups debuted as a member and the leader of the South Korean boy group Seventeen with the extended play 17 Carat on 26 May. Since debuting, S.Coups has participated in the songwriting of over 70 Seventeen songs.In 2019, it was announced that S.Coups would be taking a break due to symptoms of anxiety, missing parts of Seventeen's Ode to You World Tour. Following recovery, S.Coups returned to activities in March 2020.
File:S.Coups at Mama.png|thumb|left|S.Coups returning from his hiatus to accept the Award for Album of the Year at the 2023 MAMA Awards.In 2023, it was announced that S.Coups would be halting activities in order to recover from anterior cruciate ligament surgery. During his hiatus, he missed parts of Seventeen's Follow Tour, however he still made appearances at the 2023 MAMA Awards and the 38th Golden Disc Awards as Seventeen won Daesangs at each show for FML. His injury resulted in him being classified as Grade 5 under the South Korean military fitness classification, resulting in him being exempt from military service during peacetime. On 31 December, S.Coups released a digital song named "Me", written and produced by himself and regular Seventeen collaborator Bumzu.
In February 2024, Pledis announced that he, alongside bandmate Jeonghan, who was also on a health-related hiatus, would be returning to activities in March 2024. In January 2025, S.Coups was granted full membership to the Korea Music Copyright Association, which is granted to a number of musicians annually who have garnered a high amount of royalties through their music.
In 2025, S.Coups debuted as a member of Seventeen's fourth sub-unit. He, alongside Mingyu under the name S.Coups X Mingyu, released a six-track EP titled Hype Vibes on 29 September.
Other ventures
Fashion and endorsements
In July 2022, S.Coups was announced as Korean skincare brand Some By Mi's new global advertising model, starting in August of that year. Over the next two years, S.Coups participated in a number of pictorials for the brand's new product releases. In June 2024, S.Coups, alongside Seventeen members Wonwoo and Vernon, became the new global brand ambassador for Chitato, an Indonesian snack brand under Indofood.In September 2024, he attended the Loewe spring 2025 show at Paris Fashion Week, having previously attended a store opening for the brand in Seoul in July. He was then selected as a brand ambassador for the fashion house. In August, he was announced as the new brand model for Korean skincare brand Neogen. He was also revealed to be the new South Korean ambassador for French cosmetics company NARS Cosmetics alongside bandmate Hoshi that same month.
In April 2025, S.Coups was appointed to be the global ambassador of German fashion label Boss. The same month, he featured on the cover of a magazine for the first time, for the April edition of Numéro Tokyo. In May, he made his Met Gala debut, dressed by Boss in a jeogori-inspired outfit. Later that year, he closed the brand's spring/summer 2026 show at Milan Fashion Week, his first time walking a runway.
Philanthropy
In February 2023, S.Coups donated million to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association for relief efforts for the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes. In October, he donated million to Weact, a shelter for rescued dogs, and named one of their rescue dogs "Carat", after the name of Seventeen's official fanclub. In December, he donated million to the non-profit organization Angels' Nest, a shelter for abandoned animals.In August 2024, to commemorate his 29th birthday, S.Coups donated another million to Weact, again in the name of Seventeen's fanclub.