SEVENTEEN fans have officially entered another era of chaos and celebration as PLEDIS Entertainment confirmed a new subunit featuring Jeonghan and Joshua.
The announcement made on 6 July quickly sent 'Jihan' (a combination of 'Jeonghan' and Joshua's Korean name 'Jisoo') trending worldwide, with supporters reacting in real time to a pairing long deemed inevitable. Scheduled to debut this October, the 'Jihan' collaboration is predicted to soundtrack the season of cinnamon like an autumn playlist in the making.
Ready To Love This Long-Awaited Subunit
The duo of charmers will become the latest addition to SEVENTEEN's expanding list of subunits, following successful pairings such as BSS, Jeonghan x Wonwoo, Hoshi x Woozi, Mingyu x S.Coups, and Vernon and The8. Each unit has mixed and matched its own sound and identity, and expectations are already high for what this new pairing will bring to the charts.
While Jeonghan has previously participated in unit activities, this marks Joshua's first official subunit debut. Sprinkling more stadium-level cheers over the news, fans appear especially delighted by the partnership due to the evident close friendship between the two idols. The fandom (CARATs) has long launched an immortal inside joke that playfully frames Joshua and Jeonghan as 'soulmates' or 'evil twins'. With those nicknames in mind, their music in the works is expected to be either dreamy or diabolical.
Perfect Timing After Jeonghan's Return
The collaboration announcement also comes shortly after Jeonghan completed his mandatory military service on 25 June, becoming the first SEVENTEEN member to check the achievement off his list.
Rather than easing back slowly, the idol appears to be diving headfirst into new projects, with fans noting how rapidly preparations for the subunit seem to have progressed. Transitioning from military service back into music is clearly a skill that Jeonghan has mastered.
Online reactions represented both excitement and the signature 'bullying' dynamic between SEVENTEEN and their fans.
'People need to be ready 24/7', one fan wrote, while another joked that SEVENTEEN 'never gives anyone time to breathe'.
Another Redditor opted to paint a hilarious picture of the K-Pop group's leader, stating:
'Somewhere in Seoul, Scoups is pouting because this the second subunit to leave him out of their existing unit; first HxW and JiHan😂😂😂'.
'Evil Twins' Energy Takes Over the Internet
Among fans, Jeonghan and Joshua have long been associated with an extraordinary quirkiness, unorthodoxly stealing hearts with their mischievous chemistry. As their subunit gears up to debut just in time for the Halloween season, it's only a matter of time before fans declare it as the official 'Jihan' national holiday.
Keeping that reputation in mind, many are already speculating about the concept and sound of the upcoming release.
Some hope for a romantic, acoustic-driven project reminiscent of 'Falling For U', while others are anticipating something more along the lines of leather jackets and rockstar problems while a fictional world catches fire.
'I can't even imagine what it will sound like, but I'm excited', one fan admitted, capturing the general mood across social platforms. On the flipside, others are just bracing themselves in case this is an elaborate scheme to 'trick-or-treat' fans for Halloween. If there is any truth to this, it would be very much on-brand for the two 30-year-old music and mayhem-makers.
Taking a more cosmic turn in the comment section, Reddit user No-Sundae-506 was quick to claim credit for the news: 'My manifestation came true'.
While another fan declared that 'Everyone's dream came true'.
@boonon_98 jeonghan finally kissed joshua's cheek 😘😭 #seventeen #jeonghan #joshua #seventeen17_official #kpop #kpopfyp #fyp #fypシ
♬ 같이 가요 - SEVENTEEN
Cheers to a New SEVENTEEN Subunit: 'Jihan' as Manifested by CARATs
With both members known for their visuals, vocals, and genuine fan connection, it's no surprise that their collaboration is already commanding hashtags left and right. If early reactions are anything to go by, this debut is set to be one of SEVENTEEN's most closely watched releases of the year.
Moreover, if their personas make an appearance between the lyrics and choreography, one can predict that they're not going to play it safe. As supporters have expressed, once Joshua's and Jeonghan's names are put in the same sentence, it's bound to be punctuated with mischief.
With a promise of an October launch, the new music is expected to be accompanied by music videos, mayhem, and possibly a few jumpscares.
