VERNON

Vernon is a rapper, singer and self-producing songwriter in the 13-member group SEVENTEEN, which debuted under Pledis Entertainment on May 26, 2015. Outside the group he has built a distinct solo identity rooted in pop-punk and alternative sounds, starting with the 2023 mixtape "Black Eye". He has also teamed with fellow member The8 as the V8 unit, whose debut EP arrived in June 2026 with contributions from Pharrell Williams, Mechatok and Alice Longyu Gao. He began his mandatory military service on August 20, 2026, releasing the self-written single "I'll Be Back" the same day.

Where they grew up

Vernon was born in New York and moved to Korea at around age four. He first drew attention as a child on Korean variety shows, which led to his time as a trainee at Pledis Entertainment. He later entered the rap competition Show Me the Money 4, where he went out in the third round, and a clip of his Drake cover from that run is still passed around by fans. He attended a Korean middle school, where the LMFAO hit "Party Rock Anthem" was the craze among his classmates, an experience that later fed into his own music.

Birth details: seventeen.com