The idol who auditioned by accident, but never stops proving his talent.

BTS

Growing up with a passion for music, V, born Kim Taehyung, became a trainee under BigHit Entertainment at the age of 15. Despite wanting to pursue a career in music, V did not intend on becoming an idol. While accompanying a friend to a BigHit Entertainment audition in his hometown of Daegu, staff urged V to audition as well. There, he showcased his dancing, singing, saxophone, and beatboxing abilities. Upon passing auditions, V became a BigHit Entertainment trainee and debuted in BTS in 2013 at age 17. He acted as the group's “Hidden Member” for two years to wow the public with his personality and charm. He was only revealed to the public days before BTS’s debut. He is now known for his visuals and unique voice. V has even written a handful of BTS tracks over the years including: “Hold Me Tight,” “STIGMA,” “Inner Child,” and more. 

Television

V made his acting debut in 2016 with the historical drama Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth. In the drama, he starred alongside many notable actors such as: Park Seojoon, Go Ara, Park Hyungsik, and Choi Minho. V has starred on many reality shows over the years, as K-pop idols often do. One of his most well known appearances is on the cooking show Jinny’s Kitchen. The show takes place in Bacalar, Mexico where a group of South Korean actors and actresses run a Korean street food restaurant. 

Solo

Although he had numerous solo songs as a member of BTS, V finally released an EP of his own on September 8, 2023. The EP, Layover, features six tracks that perfectly capture V’s style as an artist. Layover peaked at No. 1 on both the South Korean Circle Album Chart and the UK Digital Album Downloads Chart, and No 2. on the United States Billboard 200, Billboard Japan, and Japan’s Oricon Album Chart. With over three million sales, the EP received Gold, Million, and two-time Platinum certifications from Korea and Japan. 

The artist's latest single “FRI(END)S” has been trending on YouTube since its release. The playful music video paired with the catchy beat of the song makes the track addicting, so it is with no surprise that the video has quickly reached over 15 million views.

Edited by Lacey Diluvio