Two familiar faces, one long-awaited musical pairing, and an entire dreamworld waiting to be explored. SEVENTEEN members Jeonghan and Joshua have officially debuted as the duo JxJ, releasing their first extended play (EP), DREAMSCAPE, on October 19. The seven-track project marks Jeonghan’s first musical release since completing his mandatory military service in June, while giving Joshua his first sub-unit project since debuting with SEVENTEEN in 2015. For CARATs who have watched the group’s members explore individual and unit activities, the release offers something particularly special: two longtime bandmates stepping into a musical world built around their own chemistry. Apparently, some dreams really do come true—and this one arrives with seven songs.
According to Pledis Entertainment, DREAMSCAPE explores the relationship between dreams experienced during sleep and ambitions pursued in waking life, blending fantasy and reality into a continuous musical journey. Leading the album is “12 o’clock,” a dance-rock track incorporating elements of 1970s and 1980s disco and funk. Its accompanying music video follows Jeonghan and Joshua through surreal landscapes as they search for an elusive “you,” which may represent a person, an ambition, or an ideal. The dreamy concept extends beyond the visuals, with the duo presenting the seven tracks as interconnected parts of a larger story. For listeners, the album offers more than a collection of songs; it invites them into a world where imagination and aspiration meet, with two familiar voices guiding the way.
The project also gives both artists opportunities to showcase their individual musical identities. Joshua co-wrote and co-composed “Not Personal,” an alternative rock solo track, while Jeonghan contributed lyrics to his electro-house solo, “Coloring.” Their involvement highlights a creative dimension of the release that goes beyond the excitement of seeing two SEVENTEEN members share a unit name. Jeonghan, whose return follows his completion of military service, has expressed nervousness and anticipation about promoting music again, while Joshua described the album’s exploration of dreams as a central part of its identity. After more than a decade of performing within a 13-member group, JxJ offers the pair a different setting to explore their artistry while maintaining the musical connection that has developed throughout their careers.
The release also arrives during a period in which SEVENTEEN has increasingly explored smaller musical units alongside individual activities, as members navigate South Korea’s mandatory military service requirements. Jeonghan previously joined Wonwoo for the 2024 unit release This Man, while other member combinations have introduced projects highlighting different musical styles and partnerships. Rather than treating these activities as replacements for SEVENTEEN, they offer opportunities for members to develop new sounds and creative approaches within the group’s wider musical identity. JxJ is particularly meaningful in this context: a reunion following Jeonghan’s service and a fresh beginning for Joshua as a unit artist. The two have spent years sharing stages with their bandmates; now, they have a seven-track project in which their partnership takes center stage.
Jeonghan and Joshua are set to bring DREAMSCAPE to live audiences through their Journey Into [Dreaming] tour, beginning with three performances in Incheon, South Korea, from October 30 to November 1, followed by stops in Saitama, Macau, Taipei, Busan, and Hong Kong. The upcoming concerts will give fans their first opportunity to experience the duo’s new material in a dedicated live setting. For SEVENTEEN, whose members have spent more than a decade building an international following together, JxJ represents another example of how a group can continue evolving through its members’ individual strengths. And for CARATs, the appeal is beautifully simple: Jeonghan is back with new music, Joshua has a new creative platform, and their shared dream has become something fans can finally listen to. The album may blur the boundary between fantasy and reality, but this particular pairing is very real.