SEVENTEEN's new unit V8 is earning early recognition from international music media, with critics highlighting the duo's debut EP as a project that pushes beyond familiar K-pop conventions.
According to PLEDIS Entertainment on Friday, outlets including Billboard, The FADER and Vogue Singapore have all featured V8's first mini album, V8, praising its distinctive artistic direction and willingness to explore new creative territory.
While each publication approached the record from a different perspective, the reviews shared a common theme: V8's music places personal expression and emotional storytelling ahead of established formulas, giving THE 8 and Vernon a creative identity that stands apart from conventional K-pop releases.
That response closely mirrors the duo's own vision for the project. On the day of the album's release, the members said they chose experimentation over familiarity, pointing to electronic production, multilingual lyrics and a desire for artistic growth as the foundation of the EP.
The album's commercial performance has matched its critical reception. V8 surpassed 500,000 copies sold within three days of release and topped QQ Music's Digital Best-Selling Albums weekly chart in China for the June 26–July 2 tracking period, reinforcing the project's global momentum.
V8 is continuing promotions with music show appearances, including Show! Music Core, while preparing for its 2026 VERNON THE 8 [V8] LIVE concerts. The duo will perform at KINTEX in Goyang on July 11-12 before heading to AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong for shows on July 17-19.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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