As he progressed through Sue’s Cooking Game on a May 6 stream, Weverse Live viewers saw an awkward, almost embarrassed smile take over WONWOO’s face. “How did you know I like washing dishes?” It was an unexpected response from the SEVENTEEN member to the game over message (“Just wash the dishes”) after he failed the goal of clicking around the screen to cook ramyeon within the time limit. WONWOO isn’t terribly familiar with such simple games—he’s much more versed in games like League of Legends and PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS that demand a combination of skilled reflexes and strategy, as his fans know. And his line about the dishes drew an affectionate laugh from them. “If you don’t know [the game], you can look at my face,” he joked (but there’s no joking about how seriously handsome he is). And his sincerity was evident when he brushed off a loss with a simple, “That’s unfortunate,” only to give it another go—all spoken in the same calm voice, and with his same signature upright posture, that he maintains as he talks through the games. And that’s how WONWOO’s GAM3 BO1 series got its start.

WONWOO’s always been a gamer. “When I was a trainee, gaming was my only hobby,” he said. Three years ago, he could be seen streaming his PUBG gameplay on the Chinese site Huya Live. When he played Crazy Arcade in the “GSVT E-Triathlon Championship 2022” episode of the group’s original series GOING SEVENTEEN last year, “you could tell he’s a real pro based on the username he chose and the way he plays,” according to Yi Yunju, leader of the PLEDIS New Media Part. WONWOO’s gaming caught the attention of not only fans but the wider public as well. When he played Stray, a game set in a dystopian future where the player takes control of a cat, he was quick to understand the overall structure of the game, immediately distinguishing those quests he felt were required to progress versus those that weren’t very important and skipping over the latter. He also made sure to show off to viewers how cute the feline protagonist could be.

The first episode of GAM3 BO1 was born out of WONWOO’s longstanding interest in and opinions on gaming. “WONWOO spoke up about wanting to start doing Lives about gaming,” lead professional Yeom Ji Been, with the HYBE Artist Content 4 Studio, said, “so we ended up putting together a team to get all the equipment ready and help film the videos.” The name of the series derives from the SEVENTEEN song “GAM3 BO1”—a hip hop unit song that features WONWOO—and was only decided in the middle of the first episode. In the two months since and up to July 28, seven episodes have been broadcast live, averaging a whopping 3.3 hours each. Yeom said it was also WONWOO who came up with the ultimate format for the show, starting with the second episode where he opened with a simple Flash game similar to Sue’s Cooking Game and warmed up with the League of Legends map Howling Abyss for ARAM play (“all random, all mid,” one of League’s gameplay modes) before moving onto the main game of the episode. “Fans were really into seeing Flash games like the Sue series,” Yeom added. Flash games were popular in the early 2000s and mainly provided through web portals, where it was easy for kids to come across and play them. These games stir up old memories for CARAT and also encourage communication between them and WONWOO as they give him tips in the chat. Viewers looking for a more complex gaming experience get to enjoy WONWOO warming up as he plays League’s Howling Abyss, followed by the main game of each broadcast, which lasts longer than the other segments. Between the games’ engaging visuals and stories, and the process involved in completing different quests, the streams become totally immersive for those watching, with no previous knowledge of the games necessary. It’s like a gift basket of goodies whether you’re into gaming or not. When WONWOO plays live, hashtags about him start trending on Twitter. He’s even brought other members of SEVENTEEN on to play with him. In all aspects, he’s just like any pro streamer.

WONWOO calls the friendly robot that sacrifices itself for the cat you play as in Stray “an awesome friend,” noting that “it’s difficult to have that kind of heart” and emphasizing the goodness of the characters. He also points out that “you shouldn’t steal in the store” and that it’s only okay for the cat because it’s a game. Not only is WONWOO a skilled player but he takes his role as a relatable host seriously. He takes care to ask viewers during each stream whether the audio’s working, but more than just the technical side of things, WONWOO takes people’s feelings into consideration. “WONWOO came in before the first broadcast and did a test with us,” Yeom said, “and he told us there’s a way to hide usernames from showing in certain games, so we did that,” the reason being that the names and chat messages that show up in online games can sometimes be offensive. Yeom added that the artist and the crew did an early test together to be prepared in the event something unexpected occurred during a real stream, and they worked on making sure transitioning between screens could be cued up as necessary. These safety nets helped but it was WONWOO’s prudence in selecting online opponents that allowed them to show a wider variety of games on GAM3 BO1 by keeping things safe so everyone can enjoy watching without any need to worry. In other words, he’s not only good at gaming and hosting but also being considerate of his fans as they watch. Yeom said it’s thanks to “fans being able to see how considerate WONWOO is” that makes GAM3 BO1 so enjoyable.

When WONWOO was playing The Painscreek Killings, a mystery game that relies on finding clues and cracking passwords, he said he “should get CARAT’s ideas for this,” continuously using viewers’ suggestions to piece together passwords and figure out where he should go to progress. That’s when fans took it upon themselves to organize the complex web of characters, story events and WONWOO’s progress in the game. “WONWOO was checking out what the fans thought and saw something they made to organize all the games’ characters and their relationships, and then asked us to put it together in a nice visual format,” Yeom said, “so we used that to make an entire PowerPoint presentation that’s easy to follow.” WONWOO showed the presentation off during the sixth episode. Thanks to the inviting environment he works to create, CARAT is able and eager to become co-op players with WONWOO, and they in turn attract even more CARAT to join in. Not only is WONWOO making content by streaming, but his content leads to even more content spinning off from it, and so the very act of gaming helps bring different people together. That, according to Yeom, is the essence of the series: “I think GAM3 BO1 is something that WONWOO and CARAT work together to create.”

​“WONWOO!” said S.COUPS, appearing on GAM3 BO1 as its first guest. “I am waiting for you.” They were playing Cuphead, an infamously difficult game, and they had to work together to take down bosses and avoid enemy attacks. Even with their combined gaming experience, the game still posed the two of them an incredible challenge on easy mode. You have to touch the other player to revive them when they die, otherwise you’re left fending for yourself through challenges meant for two people. Even though the nature of the game means players have to try parts several times, S.COUPS kept their spirits up, saying, “If we go slowly, we can do everything.” And though the game drives players to feel competitive, they took turns leading the partnership, like when he said, “I will beat it.” Their gameplay style is in line with how things go in the “Christmas in August” episodes of GOING SEVENTEEN, where the group splits into their units to get out of an escape room in the hot weather by winning a game. Realizing it isn’t a big deal to have trouble with a game when it’s so hard, WOOZI says, “Good! It’s a good strategy.” HOSHI similarly makes sure to keep everyone’s spirits up by saying, “The one good at games should do it.” Those members with a knack for gaming, like S.COUPS and WONWOO, will sometimes take the helm, but everyone takes turns while they all work together to figure it out despite the limited time they have to work with. Moments where “teamwork makes the dream work”—when they naturally switch between playing and cheering on whoever’s up next, with everyone falling into the role best suited to them with ease—are commonplace while they’re gaming. There’s just the right amount of friendly competition in the “GSVT E-Triathlon Championship 2022” episode, given that it’s all just fun and games, and when SEVENTEEN games, it’s all rooted in their deep connections with, and consideration for, one another. They know it’s just a game and never become overly competitive, and that ensures GOING SEVENTEEN maintains “a fun atmosphere overall,” said Yi, the New Media head. WONWOO’s streams are, in a manner of speaking, a way for him to spread SEVENTEEN’s approach to gaming, and gaming culture in general, to the world with CARAT’s help. It’s the start of a whole new direction for the culture surrounding gaming.

​“It’s okay even if we lose. It’s all according to plan.” That’s what DINO said in the “E-Triathlon Championship” episode. The competition between members when they play games in GOING SEVENTEEN is all part of the fun and nothing more. And perhaps that’s where their strength lies: As GAM3 BO1 grows ever popular, and people see how much fun the SEVENTEEN members have on GOING SEVENTEEN, more and more people will wish they could be in SEVENTEEN for a day and play games together, and become fans of the group. They’re sweet despite getting really into the games. It may seem like a contradiction at first, but there’s a whole other world of fun to be found in gaming when there’s plenty of communication and cooperation. When SEVENTEEN and CARAT work together to solve puzzles and beat games, it’s satisfying to know that “there’s nothing we can’t do when we’re all together,” in WONWOO’s words. And as he said when, after seven long hours, he finally completed his playthrough of The Painscreek Killings, “I solved it well with CARAT somehow.”