Seventeen member Vernon recently expressed concern over the evolution of K-pop, saying that the genre now increasingly resembles its American counterpart, with the distinction between the two becoming harder to identify.
“I feel like K-Pop sounds more and more like American pop instead of K-Pop,” the 28-year-old artist said in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“It makes me want to go back to the 2000s or early 2010s,” he added, bringing up a few acts from the era he considered to have unique sounds.
The artist, who recently began his compulsory service for the South Korean military, shared that the gap between K-pop and American pop is narrowing with each passing day.
“I think it’s because K-pop producers always try to bring American sounds to K-pop and make it their own thing… I think that right now, they’ve got to the point that they’re too good, and you can’t differentiate between K-pop and pop,” he added.
Vernon officially began his mandatory military service on August 20. He entered a training centre for basic military training before fulfilling his duties as a social service worker in alternative service.
The artist dropped his new single, I’ll Be Back, on the same day of his enlistment as a parting message to his fans.
He will be fulfilling his duties as a social service worker. His official discharge date is projected for May 19, 2028.
On the work front, Seventeen’s latest and fifth studio album is Happy Burstday, released in 2025, to celebrate their 10th anniversary.
The 16-track project features collaborations with Pharrell Williams and Timbaland, as well as unique solo tracks from all members.