Teleparty


Teleparty is the second single album by BSS, a sub-unit of the South Korean boy band Seventeen. It was released by Pledis Entertainment on January 8, 2025, alongside its lead single "CBZ (Prime Time)".

Background and release

In November 2024, it was revealed that BSS were preparing new music. Teleparty was then announced on December 27, the trio's first release since their commercially successful debut single album Second Wind. A portmanteau of the words "telepathy" and "party", Teleparty was chosen as the album title to remind fans to "pause and savor the ordinary yet precious moments of everyday life". The announcement for the album featured the members in an "election campaign-style video", rallying a crowd on the significance of enjoying their youth.
On December 29, Pledis Entertainment announced that promotions for the single album would be paused in respect for the victims of Jeju Air Flight 2216. Promotions resumed on January 5, 2025, following a national week of mourning in South Korea.
The full tracklist was revealed on January 6; the songs were written by all three members of BSS, alongside Seventeen bandmate Woozi and regular collaborator Bumzu. A teaser for the lead single's music video was released the following day, featuring the members handing out denim jeans to students in a classroom, with a cameo appearance from singer and actress Uhm Jung-hwa. The album and lead single "CBZ ", alongside the latter's accompanying music video, were released on January 8.
Many of the promotional releases include references to a fictional election, with outlets drawing comparisons to the 2024 [South Korean martial law crisis|2024 South Korean political situation], though both BSS and Pledis Entertainment have emphasized that the concept is fictional and was prepared in the first half of 2024.

Music

The single album includes three songs. The lead single, "CBZ ", is described as having swing jazz and country-based sounds. "Happy Alone" resembles new jack swing, while "Love Song" is reminiscent of 2000s R&B.

Promotion

BSS hosted a fan party on January 12 to commemorate the album at the CG Art Hall in Seoul. The event included the members "spreading happiness to all generations", with behind-the-scenes content and special performances. The event had a dress code of jeans, with the members hosting quizzes, performing covers and BSS songs, and was well received; regarded as having similar energy to a Seventeen concert.

Critical reception

In a review for NME, Carmen Chin awarded Teleparty five out of five stars, commending the record for its experimentation, stylistic tone, and narrative-driven music; she further recognized it as "the perfect sister album" to Second Wind.

Commercial performance

In South Korea, Teleparty sold a total of 529,936 copies during its first week of release, topping both the Circle Album Chart and Hanteo Chart, an album sales aggregation website.