For longtime fans who have followed V for years, it’s well known that besides his parents, his grandparents had the greatest influence on him during his childhood. They were the ones who took care of V and his two younger siblings in place of their parents, so that his mom and dad could focus on working hard to provide the family with a better life.

Even when V was given the opportunity to audition for Big Hit Entertainment (now Big Hit Music), it was actually his grandmother who called his parents to let them know and encouraged him to pursue his dream of becoming an idol. In return, V never let her down — he went on to become a global K-pop superstar, achieving phenomenal success. Surely, his grandmother in heaven must be incredibly proud of the man he’s become today.

There’s also another touching story about V’s grandmother that not many people know — one that has to do with her wish for him when he first entered the entertainment industry.

At one point, V mentioned that during the time he lived with his grandmother, she would often say to him, "If you're becoming a celebrity you gotta be like him" and pointed to Kang Dong-won on the TV screen.

Kang Dong-won is one of кσяєα’s top actors, who first rose to fame in the early 2000s. His breakout came with Temptation of Wolves (2004), followed by a string of acclaimed films including Jeon Woo-Chi: The Taoist Wizard (2009), Secret Reunion (2010), A Violent Prosecutor (2016), and Peninsula (2020).

Notably, Kang Dong-won was born in Geochang, Daegu — the same hometown as V. He has long been considered one of the region’s earliest sources of pride, which explains why even older generations, like V’s grandmother, admired him and hoped that one day her grandson would grow up to be just as successful and well-known.

As it turns out, her wish came true. V has followed in Kang Dong-won’s footsteps, becoming the next source of pride from Geochang, Daegu. What’s even more touching is that the two have since become close friends who support each other’s careers. Fans affectionately call them the “Geochang Brothers.”

In April 2022, actor Kang Dong-won attended BTS’s Permission to Dance On Stage concert in Las Vegas, which left V deeply moved. He said, “I’m really thankful and touched that Kang Dong-won-hyung came to watch my concert in Vegas. He’s my role model. I have many role models, but he’s from my hometown.”

Several photos of the two hanging out with other celebrities, including Pachinko executive producer Theresa Kang-Lowe and Brian Lee, further proved their closeness. They even went to see the Michael Jackson ONE show by Cirque du Soleil together at Mandalay Bay.

Two months later, in June of the same year, V was spotted attending the VIP premiere of Kang Dong-won’s film Broker. The actor reportedly arranged V’s seat himself so he wouldn’t feel out of place. A fun little detail fans loved is that Kang Dong-won has V saved in his phone under his real name, “Kim Taehyung.”

V, Kang Dong-won, and Joo Hyung-jin also once took a trip together to Jeju Island. The plan originally included singer Park Hyo-shin, but he couldn’t make it due to a busy schedule.

The man V’s grandmother once pointed to as a role model for her grandson has now become one of his closest friends. If she could see the pictures of the two or hear the stories V tells about their friendship, she would surely be proud — and thrilled.

Fans believe that his grandmother’s words back then left a deep mark on V’s heart, and that they may have played a small but meaningful role in forming the bond between the two. This story even makes fans more touching:

- The Geochang brothers are so adorable.. Kang Dong Won and his little brother Taehyungie. Grandma, he did it really!

- She must be so proud of the humble, kind and gentle human being Taehyung has become. Even Kang Dong Won loves him much too

- Knowing Taehyung has a strong friendship with actor Kang Dongwon and and Kang being the idol that both his grandmother and he admired when he was young are special.

- I’m sure their friendship began with V’s deep memory of what his grandmother once said about Kang Dong-won. That’s so touching.

- Kang Dong-won truly is a legendary actor, and now V has become a legend in the K-pop world. Grandma, you can rest easy now.

- V’s grandmother must be so proud of him — he’s successful and surrounded by kind, famous friends.

- V really loved his grandmother. She was the driving force behind the person he’s become today.

- Some wishes never fade — they just blossom through the ones we love

- V didn’t just fulfill his grandmother’s dream; he carried it into reality with grace

- Life came full circle — from admiration to friendship. Truly beautiful

- You can feel his grandmother’s love living through his journey

- What began as a dream in his grandmother’s eyes became V’s destiny