Do You Know, BTS? Let’s start talking about V’s then and now story! 
Kim Tae-hyung was born on December 30, 1995 in the Seo District of Daegu, South Korea and grew up in Geochang County. His family were hard-working local farmers and he has spoken much in the past about how since his parents were working so often, he was partially raised by his late grandmother. They were very close and losing her a few years back was quite an emotional time for him. Her memory continues to be an inspiration.
He was interested in music at a young age, taking up playing the saxophone in middle school. He was already friends with (now bandmate) Jimin in school and tagged along with him when Jimin, already studying dance, decided to go audition for entertainment agency, Big Hit, when they were hosting try-outs in Daegu. Those managing the auditions apparently took one look at Tae and urged him to audition too. He called his dad, asked for permission, and then gave it a go.
Hmm. What a fateful turn of events!
Big Hit made an offer to V practically on the spot. As we’ve reported before, Jimin came back into the picture down the road a bit, not being chosen right away at this time; he would eventually be the last member to complete the seven-member lineup. V was only 15-years-old at this time and began as a trainee in 2010. He debuted with the others in June of 2013. He chose the stage name “V” to represent Victory for the group.
V’s low, baritone voice is extremely recognizable and definitely key to the BTS sound. He’s always so soulful and is able to express a wide range of emotions with his vocals. And his “husky” voice was there from the very beginning. We can only imagine how when those Big Hit scouts heard him the first time, they looked at each other and exclaimed, “sign him up!”
He’s really grown as a singer, musician and songwriter. He’s written and released several solo songs and also some covers- all have been hugely successful. We’ll save delving into those for now and will explore all that in much greater detail in upcoming posts!
V has done some successful acting too! In 2016 he appeared in KBS2’s historical drama, “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth” to some critical acclaim. Although as BTS was becoming more popular, his schedule made it impossible to continue appearing on the show and his character was killed off. He made some great friends through that experience though (including SHINee’s Minho) and they all continue to be a tight-knit group. He has often posted photos via social media of them off on trips and various adventures.
Tae has a variety of passions including photography, travel and art. He seems to be one that truly makes an effort to EXPERIENCE life. We’ve seen him on episodes of “Bon Voyage” sneak away to a local museum and be totally in awe of every piece of artwork he sees, “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” around every corner. We love to see him deep into his jazz music during a V-Live, trying to educate us about his favorite performers or wishing to escape to “normalcy” by trying to hop a local train, incognito, in hopes of experiencing how the world feels aside from his BTS viewpoint. Unfortunately, that time? It wasn’t too long before he was recognized, and the gig was up.
He seems to be a fairly carefree guy and does pretty well being “in the moment”. We’ve seen him remind Jung Kook (after spilled drinks) that all we have is now- even when mistakes happen? Accept and appreciate them. Embrace them as part of life. We think we could all learn from that lesson!
His fellow members appreciate him too! We especially love this quote from his long-time friend, Jimin:
“I actually learn a lot from him. He makes me feel good and touches my heart often. That’s when I’m thankful to have Taehyung as my friend.” [Elite Daily]
RM has stated that he would take V to a deserted island if he had to, “Instead of saying that I rely on him…it’s more like if he’s there, he won’t back down.” [No-No Magazine]
We also love that Taehyung has such a loving and passionate soul. He is so caring of others- whether it’s his fellow members, ARMY or just the world. He always has the kindest, most comforting words and openly seems to know what others are feeling. We’ve been especially impressed with some of his more formal speeches, especially geared to youth, such as the virtual graduation ceremony in 2020 or the second time BTS addressed the United Nations in partnership with Unicef.
And, of course, he’s the one who created the phrase, “I Purple You” which has become the trademark expression between BTS and ARMY. Can you even being to imagine anything more endearing, loving and sweet? We cannot!
Finally, we must touch on those visuals too. He truly is one of the most recognizable and adored faces in the world today. He repeatedly wins poll after poll, year after year, awarding him various honors such as “most handsome” and we regularly see him being called out as a fashion icon. Runway models beware when Kim Tae-hyung shows up on a red carpet, sporting Gucci, Chanel or Louis Vuitton. When he strikes a pose and gives us one of his smoldering smirks? It’s powerful stuff. We defined the term duality last week. If you need further clarification, just know that our V = duality. Whew!
Did you know he’s even been given the nickname “CGV” in some circles? It’s the combination of “computer graphics” and “V” meaning that he’s so handsome, it’s unreal. Can’t say we disagree.
All this seems to barely scratch the surface. There are so many fascinating details to share about Tae, both professionally and personally. And we’re definitely going to keep talking about them all! Stay with us- there is so much more to cover over the next few days!
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: OneLuv BTS | Content: various sources
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