Vernon's Confession: "The Emptiness After Giving It My All... I Can't Make Albums Without CARATs"

Behind the scenes of a relentless run, when the dazzling lights fade, what remains: a sense of achievement or an unfamiliar emptiness? SEVENTEEN's Vernon and The8 sat down over tea to candidly share the inner landscapes they experienced as they wrapped up their recent activities.

"Two months of non-stop motion, then a sudden wave of loneliness"

Having recently completed his promotions, Vernon spoke openly about the emotional fluctuations that followed his period of constant activity. During the past two months spent preparing for V8, Vernon's mind never paused for a single moment. Because he poured all his energy into both the process and the final product, the silence that followed the conclusion of his activities was more profound than expected. Vernon confessed that on his way back from a schedule in Shanghai, facing a sudden downpour, he experienced a surge of emptiness and loneliness. The void left after such intense immersion was deeper than he anticipated, making the state of doing nothing feel strangely awkward.

Vernon felt a personal evolution through this recent period. While he previously focused primarily on stage performance, he has now progressed to overseeing the entire creative process, from song production to concert costumes and lighting direction. As his scope of influence expanded, so did the weight of responsibility and the depth of his concerns. He shared that in his pursuit of perfection, he realized through this activity that he sometimes needs to make the "choice" to let something go or give something up.

"A hunger for growth, and the driving force known as CARAT"

The8 defined Vernon's intensity as a "hunger for growth." Explaining the essence of his own ambition, The8 said, "It is the desire to discover a new version of myself and to see how far I can go." Rather than staying within the comfort of the familiar, he appears to enjoy the process of expanding himself through the unfamiliar emotions encountered when facing new challenges. In contrast, Vernon is learning to do his best with what is given rather than obsessing over results, occasionally learning how to simply let things flow.

Ultimately, it is the fans who allow them to endure this intense process and the subsequent emptiness. "Because there are CARATs who love me, this entire process is meaningful," Vernon said, adding, "If no one were listening, there would be no reason to release an album." It was a moment of confirming that the desire to create even better work—for himself and for his fans—is the most powerful driving force to overcome any sense of emptiness.