BTS’s V to Be Discharged from Military: Chinese Fans Celebrate with Grand-Scale Tributes

May 25, 2025

Chinese fans of BTS’s V (Kim Taehyung) have once again demonstrated the immense affection they hold for the superstar by launching elaborate celebration projects ahead of his upcoming military discharge on June 10. The prominent Chinese fan club, Baidu V Bar, has unveiled a series of large-scale promotional tributes to mark this significant occasion.

Two customized wrapping buses will begin circulating in both Chuncheon—where V served—and Seoul from June 10 to 14. Decked out in high-resolution images of V, the buses will celebrate the completion of his 548-day military service.

Meanwhile, one of Seoul’s trendiest neighborhoods, Seongsu-dong, will display a massive 237-square-meter wall wrapping advertisement featuring the bold phrases “Born to be Superstar” and “V IS BACK.”

Two LED trucks will also circulate around the HYBE headquarters, broadcasting over 180 messages of love and support curated by fans. In addition, a nearby café at HYBE’s rear entrance will host a collaborative fan event celebrating both V’s discharge and BTS’s 12th debut anniversary, providing a communal experience for fans complete with installations, banners, and collectibles.

This isn’t the first time Chinese fans have supported V on a massive scale. They notably topped K-pop bulk album purchase rankings, showcasing purchasing power in support of BTS. On V’s birthday (December 30), despite seasonal ad costs soaring, fans ran multiple premium overseas campaigns, including a light show at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai—the tallest building in the world—for two consecutive years.

Additionally, V became the first solo celebrity to appear on New York Times Square’s ABC Super Sign LED billboard, a format typically reserved for tourism or live ESPN and ABC network broadcasts due to its high ad fees.

Back home, Chinese fans sponsored Seoul’s official Christmas Festival at Cheonggyecheon, debuting the immersive “Purple V” zone filled with themed illuminations and sculptures. In Daegu, V’s hometown, fans funded a giant 60-meter panoramic wall mural at his former elementary school.

V’s passionate fandom, especially among Generation Z, continues to set unprecedented records in artist-driven fan support, signaling his global influence as both a musical talent and a cultural icon.