After a period of overseas activities — including traveling to France to attend CELINE’s fashion show as a brand ambassador and then to the United States with the other BTS members to prepare for their upcoming album set to release next spring — V is reported to have quietly returned to South Korea last weekend, to the extent that almost no one was aware.

It wasn’t until several photos of him visiting his former military unit and his hometown in Daegu began circulating widely on social media in recent hours that fans realized he had returned. Some even wondered how he managed to come back to Korea without causing a stir.

But while fans were asking that question, during a live broadcast on July 28, V brought up a serious issue within the fandom — one he had actually reminded fans about several times in the past. It is the issue of fans always gathering in large crowds at the airport whenever he or other BTS members are traveling.

Specifically, in the livestream, the male idol shared sincerely and somewhat sadly about being surrounded by crowds of fans every time he appears at the airport. He said that in the past, he used to put a lot of thought into what to wear at the airport so reporters could take good pictures of him. Now, because of the crowds, he can no longer walk slowly or stop for photographers to take pictures.

Although V truly wants to do that, he can’t maintain his usual habit anymore due to concerns for his own safety and that of the fans. In the end, these days, he just wears whatever.

On the other hand, V also emphasized the importance of the “Purple Line” that ARMYs used to organize in the past, saying that if such events happen again, he could have the chance to “showcase” his airport fashion.

“The airport doesn’t belong to us, so as long as it’s safe, if you could do things like the Purple Line again, I’d think about what to wear, dress up nicely, and make an effort to look good,” he said.

The “Purple Line” that V referred to is a spontaneous campaign created by ARMY — the BTS fandom — to create a safe and respectful space for the artists at airports. In past travel instances, especially in 2022 and early 2023, fans voluntarily formed lines with purple tape (representing BTS’s color) or simply stood at a respectful distance, refrained from pushing, and quietly showed their support with banners or phone lights.

This project was once praised by international media as a civilized act, demonstrating love and proper respect for the artists. Unfortunately, the “Purple Line” seems to have been forgotten in recent times, as airport crowds have increased sharply after the pandemic and BTS’s return from military service — along with a lack of control and awareness from a portion of overly enthusiastic fans.

This is not the first time V or BTS members have spoken out about the safety issues at airports caused by large fan gatherings. Just earlier this July, when V departed for France to attend CELINE’s fashion event, multiple videos circulated on social media showing the chaotic scenes at Incheon Airport.

Fans crowded the walkways, pushed, shouted, and pointed large cameras close to the idol, forcing security personnel to step in to ensure V and his team’s safety. At one point, he had to stop as guards were forced to push fans aside to clear a safe path for him.

This prompted V, shortly after boarding the plane, to post a masked selfie along with a heartfelt message to fans:“ARMY, you know, right? It’s really dangerous. Let’s make it safer next time.”

Mentioning this issue twice in one month signals how serious the situation is — and that it is time for the fandom to reflect and reset its behavior in public spaces. Not only does it make the idol uncomfortable, but chaotic crowds at airports also affect other passengers, disrupt regular operations, and can lead to dangerous situations for the artist, fans, and those around them.

Fans around the world are now calling on others to stop going to airports or unannounced public locations. The fandom is also campaigning for the return of the “Purple Line” at every arrival or departure of BTS in any country.

These actions are not just for V or BTS — they are for the sake of the ARMY community itself, which has always taken pride in being one of the most respectful and progressive fandoms in the world!