Sophia Michaels
K-pop supergroup BTS has been blowing up across the world lately, bringing K-pop into the mainstream spotlight in many countries outside South Korea. But, with that same level of popularity comes the need for the idol to maintain a certain image. This Christmas, BTS member Jimin accidentally got his bandmate, Taehyung (who goes by V) in some hot water with fans with a tweet.
One particular detail in the video Jimin posted has fans a mix of angry and defensive.
Jimin tweets a video, with one important detail
BTS loves interacting with their fans, who call themselves ARMY. That’s one of the big draws of idol groups like BTS — their social media presence and dedication to their fans helps fans feel connected to the band and their lives.
However, this also means the group has to deal with maintaining a certain image. This can be a lot of responsibility for the young band members. The group also finds themself in the sights of some obsessive fans who will do whatever it takes to find out where the band is vacationing, staying, eating, and the like.
This level of intense scrutiny is part of what got Taehyung into hot water with fans after Jimin posted a Christmas video. In the video, several clips of members of the group are featured. In one instance, Taehyung is seen lying down with a blue Juul e-cigarette next to his head.
How fans reacted to the tweet
The fan reaction to Jimin’s video and Taegyung’s Juul was swift. Many of the fans felt disappointed in Taehyung for using an e-cigarette. They felt as if this was the wrong message for him to be sending to fans, and that he was not taking care of his health.
One upset fan wrote, “Juul has as much as nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes stop ruining your voice taehyung he was telling us to not use medicine for us to fall asleep cuz its not healthy but hes out here vaping??? Pick a side [sic].”
Another user wrote, “It’s his life. But i am worried.. It does affect your body. And as a singer. With that unique voice. I wouldn’t say that its the best thing to do. But Taehyung it’s your life. And you’re soon to be 24. You can of course do anything. Just be careful.”
Meanwhile, other fans defended Taehyung, saying he’s old enough to make his own choices, and that it’s not the fans’ place to police those decisions.
One user tweeted, “B*tches on my tl be mad that Taehyung vapes w his sexy a** blue juul like he isn’t a whole ass grown man that can do whatever tf he wants and probably has to hide this anyway because of y’alls fantasy of him as best boy perfect idol bs so stfu and sit down & tae do some tricks [sic].”
Taehyung and Jimin have always been close
Meanwhile, Jimin probably feels bad for getting Taehyung into hot water with his fans. The pair have always been close. In fact, they were besties in high school. Their friendship blossomed when V defended Jimin from people making fun of his Busan accent.
Taehyung once wrote a letter to Jimin, detailing how much his friendship meant to him. He wrote, in part, “When I am in the bathroom crying, you cry with me. You also come to see me at dawn to laugh with me. You care about me and have me in your thoughts. You work hard for me and you understand me. You listen to my concerns and like me even though I am lacking. Let’s walk on a road with happiness. I love you buddy.”
You can read the rest of his letter to Jimin here.
Written by: CheatSheet
