Recently, according to HypeAuditor, V ranked 3rd globally, just behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, while also being the highest-ranking Asian celebrity and top entertainer worldwide on the ‘Top 1000 Most Influential Global Influencers’ list on Instagram.
But that’s not all—according to SocialBook, V boasts an engagement rate of 20.6%, the highest among global celebrities, with each of his posts averaging over 14 million likes. Following his military discharge, V gained an additional 1.22 million followers in just 25 days, marking the fastest growth rate among K-pop idols during that period.
These numbers speak volumes about V’s influence on social media. It's undeniable that he always knows how to capture the public’s attention with every post. Whether it’s his glowing visuals or uniquely artistic photos, the superstar constantly stirs buzz with Instagram content that feels one-of-a-kind.
A perfect example? His newly updated Instagram profile picture, changed just a few hours ago, has shaken not only his fandom but also the global internet. It's been 480 days since V last used a childhood photo as his official profile picture.
This time, he surprised fans with another childhood snapshot—perhaps even more adorable than before. In the photo, a little girl around the same age is kissing V on the cheek, while young Taehyung beams with joy.
The affectionate gesture immediately set social media ablaze, with fans joking that this might be the only girl ever allowed to kiss the global superstar on the cheek. What made it even more intriguing was the fact that V himself chose to publicly share this moment on Instagram, sparking curiosity about the girl's identity.
Many fans quickly speculated that the girl could be V’s younger sister, Kim Eun Jin, who is reportedly one year younger than him (some sources state she was born in 1996). Since she keeps her life very private, with no public social media accounts, it’s difficult to confirm with certainty. However, among those known to be closest to V, she remains the most likely candidate.
Just minutes after the photo went up, social media was flooded with speculation, comments, and trending topics, like: "Taehyung changed his IG profile pic. And we are all swooning over it", "Who's he matching dp with?", "Who's this girl, pls", "What the h*ll, I want to know this lucky girl", "OMG, just kissing him and she didn't know he's the most handsome man in this world and BTS superstar then", "I want to know how the girl feels after realizing that she ever kissed BTS member"...
But fans didn’t have to stay in suspense for long! V later shared the true identity of the lucky girl in a post on Weverse: “I’m curious about recent condition.. who could that person be? A friend that was closest to me in daycare?” — the answer left ARMYs in ѕнσ¢к.
It turns out V has relationships we never saw coming… just kidding! In reality, the girl was simply a kindergarten friend from his childhood—a sweet, innocent moment that fans were thrilled to see.
In the polished world of K-pop, where artist images are often carefully curated, this glimpse into V’s early life reminded fans of a much more relatable Taehyung—the warm-hearted boy from Daegu, unafraid to share a genuine piece of his past.
His answer has explained why he did this and who's she. The reason makes ARMYs feel sweet and even love him more:
- He’s closest friend from kindergarten.. how sweet when he remembered them
- Taehyung's best friend is so lucky, he was able to meet Taehyung since he was little, and kiss his adorable cheeks
- He still remember his daycare friend. A big heart
- Taehyung out here making us emotional over a daycare friend. you’re too precious!
- The way he speaks about a childhood friend with such tenderness… my heart can’t take it
- Not V being soft and nostalgic over his daycare bestie. This is the kind of content I live for.
- The friend closest to me in daycare”??? Sir why am I crying over soмєтнing that happened 25 years ago
- Imagine being the girl who kissed V’s cheek and ended up in his IG profile 20+ years later. So iconic
- He remembers her… even if just faintly. That’s the kind of soul Taehyung is.
V has always had a way of making ARMYs feel like they’re included in the most personal corners of his life. It’s this sincerity that makes his Instagram posts so widely beloved, and why fans never stop showing up for him—every single time.
