SEVENTEEN fans use the official fandom name CARAT, but “CARAT membership” is not one universal product. In 2026, readers may encounter Global, US and Japan membership labels on Weverse. The territory matters because fees, benefits, registration details and event eligibility can differ.
Japan also had a specific platform transition. The official notice says sales moved to Weverse Shop on February 9, 2026, with a separate migration process for existing Japan fanclub members. That creates a different buying and account decision from a standard Global membership signup.
CARAT Global and Japan are different products
The official Japan campaign warns that CARAT Membership Global or US has different benefits from the Japan product. A lower converted price or an easier checkout is not a reason to choose the wrong territory.
Before payment, write down the exact product name shown at checkout. Check the supported territory, fee, validity, renewal window, additional-information requirements and whether the benefit you want explicitly names that membership.
What changed for Japan members in 2026
Existing SEVENTEEN Japan official fanclub “CARAT” members were asked to migrate their information to Weverse Membership. The official notice states that migration opened on February 9 and must be completed while the existing membership is still valid.
The process is separate from an older Weverse-linking step. An existing member who renews without completing the migration can be treated as a new member, meaning old member data may not carry over. Migration is free, but it cannot be undone after completion.
The current Japan guide lists an annual fee of ¥6,500 including tax and says renewal is generally available from 60 days before expiry through 30 days after expiry. Existing members should still follow the current account screen and official notice because sale status can affect the exact timing.
Membership does not guarantee an event
An active product does not confirm a concert, fan meeting, ticket sale, pop-up or gift. Every benefit needs its own notice.
The July 2026 CARAT ZONE notice illustrates the rule. For that specific event, participants needed the matching-day mobile ticket, a valid physical photo ID and a CARAT Global Membership QR code in the latest Weverse app. The QR code could be saved for offline use and had a seven-day validity period. Those instructions applied to that event; they are not a permanent promise for every future event.
Name and identity details matter
At identity-checked events, the membership name must match the accepted ID. The CARAT ZONE notice said non-Korean nationals should bring a physical passport or residence card and that screenshots or student IDs would not be accepted.
Use your legal name when joining and do not buy, lend or borrow another person’s membership. If a future notice uses different documents or age rules, the future notice controls.
Merchandise and kit checks
Membership and the membership kit are separate purchase decisions. The official material notes that kits can be limited by concept and stock. Confirm whether a kit is included or separately sold, which membership territory is required, the delivery country, shipping cost, customs exposure and refund terms.
Do not treat a reseller’s “official CARAT” label as proof of a transferable membership benefit. Keep the official product page and order confirmation until delivery is complete.
Why a platform migration is a different kind of risk than a renewal
A routine annual renewal and a one-time platform migration create different failure modes, and it’s worth understanding why. A missed renewal typically has an obvious, immediate consequence — your membership lapses, and you know it lapsed. A missed migration is quieter: your old Japan fanclub membership can still show as technically valid right up until it expires, giving no obvious signal that anything is wrong, while the migration window itself closes silently in the background. The member only discovers the problem later, when a renewal attempt is treated as a new signup and past continuity is gone. That is exactly why this guide treats the migration deadline as more urgent than a typical renewal reminder: there is no natural moment that forces you to notice it before the account-level consequence is already locked in.
2026 decision checklist
- Choose Global, US or Japan based on the benefit’s official notice.
- For pre-February 2026 Japan memberships, check migration status before expiry.
- Use the same Weverse account through purchase, migration and renewal.
- Enter a legal name that can be matched to an accepted ID.
- Require a separate official notice for every event or presale.
- Check the latest Weverse app and QR validity shortly before an event.
This is a membership verification guide, not a claim that a new Seoul event is open. Territory and account continuity are the central decisions; an artist name alone is not enough.
