SEVENTEEN's Vernon and The8 Announce Surprise Subunit With June Album

SEVENTEEN members Vernon and The8 will debut as a surprise subunit with an album in June 2026, Pledis Entertainment confirmed. The cross-unit pairing arrives while four Korean members serve mandatory military service.

HITKULTR

March 13, 2026

The duo no one saw coming is officially happening. SEVENTEEN members Vernon and The8 will form a new subunit and release an album in June, Pledis Entertainment confirmed Thursday.

The announcement caught Carats off guard, not because either member lacks the chops to carry a project, but because their creative DNA feels like a deliberate collision. Vernon's been the group's resident eclectic, channeling everything from hip-hop to pop-rock (that electric guitar moment at their Singapore show still has fans talking). The8 (Xu Minghao) operates in a completely different lane: contemporary dance, visual art, B-boying roots. On paper, this pairing makes zero sense. In practice? That's exactly why it might work.

Timing Is Everything

The subunit arrives at a pivotal moment for SEVENTEEN. Four members are currently serving mandatory military service: Jeonghan, Wonwoo, Woozi, and Hoshi. The remaining nine have kept the machine running with their NEW_ world tour, which just hit Singapore last weekend to a sold-out 55,000-seat National Stadium.

Both Vernon and The8 are available through SEVENTEEN's current hiatus cycle. Vernon is Korean-American and, based on his citizenship status, is not currently required to serve in the Korean military. The8 is Chinese, making him ineligible for the Korean conscription system entirely. That shared availability is the foundation this project is built on.

SEVENTEEN The8 performing at Singapore National Stadium during the NEW_ world tour, March 2026 — The8 performing in Singapore during SEVENTEEN's NEW_ world tour. Photo: Pledis Entertainment

A Subunit That Actually Has Something to Say

SEVENTEEN's previous subunits have been organized by specialty: hip-hop unit, vocal unit, performance unit. Vernon and The8 cut across those lines. Vernon has contributed to writing since the group's 2015 debut. The8 has pushed boundaries with solo work that leans into contemporary dance and artistic experimentation.

The question is whether they'll play to their strengths or deliberately subvert expectations. Given both members' track records of doing their own thing within the group context, expect something that doesn't sound like anything else in the current K-pop landscape.

What's Next

Pledis has not released details on the album's concept, tracklist, or title. A June release window suggests concept teasers will drop sometime in May. We'll update this article as information becomes available.

SEVENTEEN's NEW_ tour continues through Southeast Asia before returning to Korea for finale shows in April. With Hoshi and Woozi's September 2025 enlistment now in the rearview, the group has been operating as a nine-member unit. The Vernon-The8 subunit represents the first major project from within that lineup.

Fans Also Ask

When does the Vernon and The8 SEVENTEEN subunit album release?

Pledis Entertainment confirmed a June 2026 release window for the Vernon and The8 subunit album. No album title, tracklist, or specific release date has been announced yet. Concept teasers are expected in May 2026. Both members are actively participating in the production process, per the official Pledis announcement.

Why are Vernon and The8 forming a subunit now?

With four SEVENTEEN members serving mandatory military service (Jeonghan, Wonwoo, Woozi, and Hoshi), the group has been operating as a nine-member unit since September 2025. The Vernon-The8 subunit lets the group stay active with new music during the hiatus period, with both members available and hands-on in production.

What other SEVENTEEN subunits have released music?

SEVENTEEN operates with three official specialty subunits: the Hip-Hop Unit (S.Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, Vernon), the Vocal Unit (Woozi, Jeonghan, Joshua, DK, Seungkwan), and the Performance Unit (Hoshi, Jun, The8, Dino). The Vernon-The8 duo crosses those unit lines, making it the first cross-unit subunit pairing in the group's history.

Does The8 have to serve in the Korean military?

No. The8 (Xu Minghao) is a Chinese national and is not subject to South Korea's mandatory military service system. Jun is the other Chinese member in the same position. Both are exempt from conscription, which is why they continue promoting while Korean members such as Jeonghan, Wonwoo, Woozi, and Hoshi complete their service terms.

What is SEVENTEEN's fandom name?

SEVENTEEN's global fanbase is called Carat (캐럿). The name plays on the diamond-carat measurement: just as carats determine a diamond's value, Carats are described as what makes SEVENTEEN shine. The fandom name has been official since the group's May 2015 debut under Pledis Entertainment, now a label within HYBE.