Why did Vernon shut down question when SEVENTEEN's progress was compared to BTS?

During a recent interview, the K-Pop star Vernon of SEVENTEEN dealt with a difficult question, and his handling of the question in a mature manner earned him praise from fans.

Vernon, DK, and Seungkwan visited Sirius XM, an American radio station, where they talked about the band’s relationship with the fans and how close the Carats ( the Seventeen fans) are to the band.

And during the conversation, the three of them faced a comparison that made their fans furious. A comparison was made between the band and BTS.


How the question comparing Seventeen’s progress with BTS was handled by Vernon:
They were asked if the band expected that they "would be up there just like BTS" when the band started and if the band anticipated being "at the same level as BTS".

During the ongoing discussion on the radio station, Vernon was the one taking the lead in answering the questions, and so he replied to the question in a dignified way by saying that "BTS wasn’t the BTS today" when Seventeen made its debut. He continued by saying that it’s really crazy the way Seventeen is doing it and "where we are at".

It was 2015 when Seventeen made its debut, and just two years earlier, the band BTS debuted. And at that time, both were facing enormous challenges in establishing themselves as K-Pop idols.

A fan's response to the comparison of Seventeen with BTS:
Fans took to Twitter to express their displeasure regarding the comparison made between Seventeen and BTS. One fan on Twitter wrote that the questions asked of the K-Pop stars were "really cringeworthy" and that Vernon had shown "his mature side" when answering the questions calmly.

Another fan expressed on Twitter that the goal of Seventeen is to be the "best Seventeen they can be." Another fan who is a member of both Carats and ARMY wrote that the interview made him feel good and that there was no need to compare one group to another, "just respect each other."

Politically active K-pop fans step in to help Bangkok's distinctive tuk tuk drivers

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According to a Reuters report, drivers of Bangkok's distinctive tuk tuks have been among the hardest-hit by the pandemic's devastation of Thailand's all-important tourism industry. But unexpected help came this year from Thailand's politically disaffected and K-pop-obsessed youth when they stopped buying ads celebrating their idols' birthdays and album launches from public transport, instead giving their ad money to grassroots businesses, including tuk tuks and street food vendors.

According to a Reuters report, drivers of Bangkok's distinctive tuk tuks have been among the hardest-hit by the pandemic's devastation of Thailand's all-important tourism industry. But unexpected hel..

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Over the last few months, young fans have mobilised to put up banners of their favourite K-pop idols on the iconic vehicles for a month at a time, providing a new source of income for struggling drivers. So far, the initiative has benefited several hundred tuk tuk drivers. There are more than 9,000 tuk tuks registered in Bangkok, according to government data.

Over the last few months, young fans have mobilised to put up banners of their favourite K-pop idols on the iconic vehicles for a month at a time, providing a new source of income for struggling driv..

Read More

The trend has roots in anti-government protests last year that drew tens of thousands of students calling for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha - who first came to power in a military coup - to step down. Many K-pop fans were protesters themselves, and last year vowed to pull huge billboard advertising fees from Bangkok's skytrain and underground subway services after mass transport shut down to try to prevent students from reaching protest sites.

The trend has roots in anti-government protests last year that drew tens of thousands of students calling for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha - who first came to power in a military coup - to step d..

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The fans started printing vinyl or cardboard signs and recruiting tuk tuk drivers at garages and on the street - funnelling their ad funds to the people who need it most. "It's a political expression that we don't support capitalists. This marked a change from us competing to book skytrain and subway billboards, but now it's tuk tuks," said Pichaya Prachathomrong, 27.

The fans started printing vinyl or cardboard signs and recruiting tuk tuk drivers at garages and on the street - funnelling their ad funds to the people who need it most. "It's a political expression..

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The "Tuk Up" service, created by 21-year-old university sophomore Thitipong Lohawech, was initially to help dozens of drivers who rented vehicles from his family's garage. But now it supports about 300 drivers from all over Bangkok. "The fans are distributing income to the grassroots, which helps drive social change and support the economy," said Thitipong.

The "Tuk Up" service, created by 21-year-old university sophomore Thitipong Lohawech, was initially to help dozens of drivers who rented vehicles from his family's garage. But now it supports about 3..

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They are always careful while answering such questions.

As controversy and fan wars can spark because of such questions, K-Pop band members usually remain careful while answering these questions. Once, BTS was questioned about which K-pop band they thought could make it big in the U.S., and at that time, the leader RM warned them in Korean to reply cautiously. The subject was diverted by the members instantly, and they replied, "BTS?"

Seventeen just returned home after a win at the MTV VMAs and a series of performances in America. And they have already released the Face the Sun album this year, and as for BTS, they too have released their Proof album.

FAQ:

Why are they called SEVENTEEN even if they only had 13 members?
It’s not the number of members but an expression of "1 group + 3 units + 13 members" equals 17. It represents how one cohesive group is formed when 13 members, segregated into three units, come together.

Does BTS have girlfriends?
None of the BTS members have ever been in a public relationship since the debut of the group back in 2013.