How blissfully ignorant are those of us who take our youth for granted. Our youth can come and go unnoticed in the turmoil of this fleeting period. It is only years later that we realize we were once young. Indeed, it is because youth is pure and innocent that it is taken for granted.

When asked if he feels burdened by the love and attention of the fans and the importance they attach to every little thing he does, V shakes his head as if he really can’t understand it. “I don’t really know what BTS means to people. I appreciate all the compliments and positive responses, but I have no idea why we receive so much love,” he admits. V, who has received an impressive set of accolades as a member of BTS — including being the first Asian performer to be named Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards and being declared the world’s most handsome man — seems to be savouring these possibly fleeting moments of his youth. However, he doesn’t seem to know why this dazzling success has come to him. This is despite the fact that people are continually explaining the many reasons why.

In a photo shoot, it is the subject who sets the mood. I have been to numerous photo shoots but have never seen a set as calm and hushed asVogue’s is today. The incessant sound of camera shutters seems noisier than usual and is punctuated only by faint sounds of laughter now and then. At the center of it all is V. He gently establishes the tone right from the start. With his friendliness and gregariousness on full display, he seems deserving of his nickname Kim Instant Friend.

“The first letter of my MBTI personality type used to be E [for Extrovert], but recently it changed to I [for Introvert]. Don’t they say the difference between the two is huge?” V says. In recent years, the Myers-Briggs Type Indi- cator (MBTI) questionnaire has become popular among young South Koreans, who share their MBTI types as naturally as exchanging their names, eager to quickly analyze one another’s personality. But V seems indifferent about his apparent shift in personality, indifferent about whether he is classed as an extrovert or introvert. He explains that this is because he has recently experienced some growing pains. “I don’t think these changes are a bad thing because I have learned how to decide what is right for me and what isn’t,” V elaborates. “I was able to grow with help from people around me. There may be many bumps on the road ahead, and I may experience pain at some point, but I’m not afraid. How I proceed in those situations is the most important thing.”

V’s exemplary answer reflects the worldview that BTS has established over the years. This extraordinary period of growth, with no end in sight, was created by seven ordinary boys. V continues to grow with BTS, and there seems to be no limit to how much stronger and resilient he can become. The driving force behind this growth is simply the pursuit of a sense of accomplishment. “When something eats away at me, I focus on it and try to conquer it. For example, if I’m overwhelmed by some emotion, I write a song about it. When the song is done, whether it’s a good song or not, the sense of achievement helps get rid of any pain or suffering I’m going through.”

V continues to release his own songs. Since putting out his first song, “4 O’Clock” (a collaboration with RM), V has released “Scenery,” “Winter Bear,” “Sweet Night” and others. Currently, 15 of his songs are registered with the Korea Music Copyright Association. He is admired for his poetic lyrics and out- standing musical sensibilities — the result of honing in on quotidian moments and subtle emotions. “I try to get inspiration from everyday life,” V muses. “I think my daily life is already special, to say nothing of going on trips or experiencing special events. These days, I get a lot of inspiration from the work of others. Yesterday, I watched Forrest Gump for the first time in a while, and it made me cry a little. At the end of the film, Forrest says, ‘I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if we’re all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze,’ and I really felt for him. It was sad.”

Forrest Gump, which was released a year before V was born, depicts the life of Forrest, who is born with subnormal intelligence and a curved spine. It is the story of a man who’s selflessness verges on foolishness and who’s honesty verges on stupidity. Although Forrest is born with disabilities, a talent discov- ered by chance brings him riches and fame. It also comes down to hard work and good luck — a fate ordained by heaven. V insists that his success and achievements as part of BTS all boil down to luck. “Yes, I believe in fate, but if I could turn back the clock, would I be able to become a singer again?” he ponders. “It wouldn’t be guaranteed. So I think it’s all down to the luck of the gods.”

Born in 1995, Taehyung Kim (V’s birth name) had a lucky break when he first met the members of what would go on to become BTS. The next turning point was when they debuted together after a long training period. “We formed a solid rapport because we got our start with a small agency,” V says. “My mindset was also very different. From that point on, I thought of my group as a new family.” He also gained ARMY, staunch allies who sent him unconditional love and support. When the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to offline performances, BTS began meeting fans more frequently through their own platform, Weverse. They share aspects of their daily lives through this platform, and V doesn’t like to call this “communication” because somehow that feels too businesslike. “I want to be close friends with the members of ARMY, and I talk to them on Weverse whenever I have a problem or something I want to share,” he explains. “This is how I want to interact all the time — I don’t like a businesslike approach to anything. I take photos because I like to, I do things because I like them and I approach people because I like them. I accept that you sometimes need a business mindset, but I’m not very good at that. That’s my weakness.”