Kim Taehyung aka V of BTS, an Introduction

Kim Tae-hyung, professionally known as V, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and member of the boy band BTS. Since joining the band in 2013, V has showcased his solo talent through three solo songs released under BTS' name, "Stigma" in 2016, "Singularity" in 2018, and "Inner Child" in 2020, all of which achieved success on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. Beyond his work with BTS, V ventured into acting with a role in the 2016 television series Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth and contributed the single "It's Definitely You" to its soundtrack. 

 Critics generally praised "Singularity", with many including it on their year-end lists. The New York Times placed it twentieth on its list of "The 65 Best Songs of 2018", alongside "Fake Love". Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times ranked it as the fourth "best and most replay-worthy song of 2018", and Guardian critic Laura Snapes included it among her favorite tracks in her "Best Music of 2018: Albums and Tracks" list.

In May 2018, V's second solo track, "Singularity", was unveiled as a trailer for BTS' forthcoming third studio album, Love Yourself: Tear. The song made its debut on UK radio via BBC Radio on October 25. Just a month after its release, The Guardian featured "Singularity" on its "Top 50 songs for the month of June 2018" playlist, while Billboard recognized it in their critics' list of the "Top 50 BTS songs", ranking it at number 28.

In 2019, he unveiled his first independent song, the self-composed "Scenery". Taking a step further in his solo career, V officially debuted as a solo artist in 2023 with the release of the singles "Love Me Again" and "Rainy Days". His debut solo album, Layover, was launched on September 8, accompanied by the third single, "Slow Dancing". January 30, 2019, V released his inaugural independent track, "Scenery", via the BTS SoundCloud page. 

V not only penned and composed the ballad but also photographed the cover art himself. The song swiftly garnered attention, reaching 100 million streams from 20 million in just over fourteen days, setting a new record on the platform. Throughout the subsequent two weeks post-release, "Scenery" broke the daily streaming record nine times.

Moving forward, on December 24, 2021, V dropped the single "Christmas Tree" as part of the original soundtrack for the Studio N television series Our Beloved Summer. This release marked V's first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number 79. In the following year, V ventured into the realm of reality television, starring in the Disney+ series In the Soop: Friendcation alongside Peakboy, Park Seo-joon, Choi Woo-shik, and Park Hyung-sik. Premiering in July and concluding in August, the series provided fans with an intimate look into V's life.

Expanding his repertoire further, in February 2023, V appeared in another reality series, the Prime Video exclusive cooking-travel show Jinny's Kitchen, alongside Park Seo-joon and Choi. The subsequent month, he was unveiled as a brand ambassador for the Indonesian investment company SimInvest and designated as a global ambassador for the French luxury brand Celine. His influence continued to grow as he became a brand ambassador for Cartier and the face of the Panthère de Cartier campaign in July.

V's debut solo album, "Layover," was unleashed on September 8, making an indelible mark in the realm of K-pop. According to the Hanteo Chart, "Layover" achieved a monumental feat by clinching the record for the highest first-week sales by a solo artist in the genre's history, with a staggering 2.1 million copies sold. According to Hanteo Chart, Layover sold over 1.67 million copies on its opening day, setting a new record for the highest first-day sales by any solo K-pop artist in chart history. It topped the component Download Albums chart and the component Digital Albums Chart. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart and on the corresponding issue of the Oricon Albums Chart. Layover debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 in the United States, with 100,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week, making him the highest-charting Korean solo artist in Billboard chart history, alongside with his bandmates Jimin and Suga.

Crossing borders, the album made waves in the United States as well. Debuting at an impressive number two on the prestigious Billboard 200 chart, "Layover" propelled V to the upper echelons of Billboard chart history. This remarkable achievement solidified his status alongside his bandmates Jimin and Suga as the highest-charting Korean solo artists on Billboard's illustrious roster. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)'s Global Music Report for 2023, Layover was the tenth best-selling album worldwide, having sold 2.2 million units.

V introduced the phrase "I purple you" during a BTS fan meeting in November 2016, sparking a significant cultural phenomenon. Since then, the color purple has evolved into a symbol closely associated with BTS and their devoted fanbase. The phrase has gained widespread recognition and significance, signifying love, support, and unity among BTS members and ARMY, the group's fanbase. Notably, UNICEF incorporated the phrase into their anti-bullying campaign in collaboration with BTS, further amplifying its message of positivity and solidarity.

In October 2018, during BTS' Love Yourself World Tour concert in Paris, V experienced difficulty singing due to an illness, leading him to abstain from some parts of the performance. Similarly, in October 2021, V's agency announced that he would refrain from participating in choreography during their Permission to Dance on Stage concerts due to a calf injury, opting to perform while seated.

V is known for possessing a baritone singing voice, which has garnered positive critical acclaim. His vocal range and distinct "husky" tone have been particularly praised by critics. V gained widespread recognition for his rendition of his solo track "Stigma", during which his falsettos showcased his impressive vocal range and distinctive musical style. In 2024, V collaborated with IU on "Love wins all" and in 2023 with UMI for "Wherever u r"

In 2016, V ventured into acting with a supporting role in the KBS2 historical drama "Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth," where he was credited under his real name. Additionally, he teamed up with fellow bandmate Jin to release the duet single "It's Definitely You" for the drama's soundtrack. To commemorate BTS' fourth anniversary, V collaborated with bandmate RM to produce and release the song "4 O'Clock" on June 8, 2017.

As a performer, V is renowned for his "duality," which refers to his remarkable ability to evoke a wide range of emotions on stage. British journalist Rhian Daly, in an article for NME, highlighted this aspect, especially during V's performance of "Singularity" on the Love Yourself: Speak Yourself World Tour, describing his movements as "precise and deliberate." Crystal Bell from MTV also observed V's adeptness at working with live cameras during concert performances, noting how he utilizes them to convey subtle expressions and enhance his stage presence.

In 2020, V added his touch to the indie pop scene with the single "Sweet Night," which became part of the soundtrack for the JTBC drama Itaewon Class, released on March 13. This self-written and produced track garnered praise for its composition, vocal delivery, and heartfelt lyrics, earning a debut at number two on Billboard's Digital Songs chart in the United States. Later in the year, on December 25, V delighted fans with the release of the Christmas-themed track "Snow Flower," featuring Peakboy.

On November 22, 2023, Big Hit announced via Weverse that V, along with his bandmates RM, Jimin, and Jungkook, had initiated the enlistment process for their mandatory military service. V enlisted on December 11. Following the conclusion of his extended military training, he was assigned to the 'Ssangyong Unit' of the 2nd Corps on February 8, 2024, where he serves under the Special Task Force of the Military Police Corps.